Helping Her
by Camzella Granger-Malfoy
Summary: [DMxHG]Draco Malfoy is always the center of attention, not the attention giver. When he and Ron Weasley accidentally turn Hermione into a fiveyearold, Draco will have to give all the attention he has to the small girl. [Chapter 22!]
1. Hello, Granger

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But being the cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of compassion for what he has to deal with.

Krysta's Notes: Draco may be slightly OOC to his 'problem' Can't tell you what it is though. It's a surprise.

Disclaimer: Nope, not a thing. Maybe not even the plot. Cause someone on the other side of the world is posting the same thing at the same time. Damn.

* * *

Chapter 1: Hello, Granger 

"Miss Granger, are you okay?" Professor Kellum asked the young girl in the middle of the Astronomy class. She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"Oh, of course, Professor Kellum." She said, hazel clashing with blue. Her professor flicked her black hair from her face, and continued talking. Hermione looked out the expanded Astronomy window out onto the stars. They sparkled merrily, almost winking at her in a personification sense.

"Okay, class dismissed. Homework is to research some of the Muggle constellations." Professor Kellum called out in a sing-song voice.

Walking steadily through the halls, her feet made padding noises against the stone floor.

"Fell asleep, now did you Granger?" A sickingly alluring voice called from behind her.

"Leave me alone, Malfoy." She said, and continued walking.

"Hello to you to Granger." He said sarcasticly, and strode up beside her. His 6'2" form slightly towered over her 5'11" body. He looked at her crazily.

"What's wrong with you? You act as if you're dead." He said, smoothly.

"Maybe I wished to be dead, rather than standing here telling you anything." She said, and stalked off. But he still had to follow her, they shared breathing space.

He walked in after she said the password, and they both immediately went to sleep, not wanting to say anything else to the other.

The sun shone brightly through her room, and she got up. She walked silently into the bathroom, brushing her teeth and taking a shower. She stepped from the shower and walked into her room, putting on her uniform, but leaving her robes off. She stepped into the common room and conjured a floating mirror, so she could tie her tie on straight. She threw her robes over it. Skipping breakfast, she walked to Potions. Sitting in the middle row, she took out her things to start Potions.

"Today, we will be learning an Aging Potion. Partner up with the person to you right, and begin." He said, his black eyes sweeping oer the classroom.

She took out her neatly written instructions while Harry got the ingredients. She noticed that Ron had shifted over to his right, and in dismay, ended up working with Malfoy. They glared at each other while working. In the middle of the Aging stage, Ron and Malfoy jumped up. "Flipendo!" Malfoy shouted, Ron moving, as the spell hit the cauldron sending it through the air. It quickly descended on the unluckiest person of the day, Hermione Granger.

Draco had to escort the unconscious Hermione to the Hospital Wing. Sitting down, he proceeded to tell the nurse why she was here. After ten minutes, he heard noises inside the curtain. They were the distinct noises of sneezing. The sneezes were too small and high to belong to Hermione, so he stood. He drew back the curtain and jumped in surprise.

* * *

Krysta's Notes: Need reviews for encouraging! Help along, even if my story sucked, don't review anonymous, cause I need to know what you didn't like, so email me if you flame, cause I need an explanation. 

Review,

Krysta


	2. Hermione Granger, Age Five

Title:Helping Her

Genre:Humor/Romance

Category:Full Story

Summary:No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But being the cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of compassion for what he has to deal with.

Krysta's Notes: Draco may be slightly OOC to his 'problem' Can't tell you what it is though. It's a surprise.

* * *

Chapter 2: Hermione Granger, Age Five

A little girl with curly brown hair and brown eyes looked up at the Slytherin.

"Oh, damn. What the fuck did I do to the bitch?" Madam Pomfrey glared hard at Draco's blonde head.

"Where am I?" She asked, looking around at Madam Pomfrey, who was straightening potions on a shelf.

"You're at a magic school. You're a witch, Granger." He said to the girl, her brown eyes watering up.

"What?" He said softly to her.

"You called me Granger. Nobody ever has called me that, unless they were being mean." Her bottom lip, which hung from her mouth, began to quiver. She looked absolutely adorable.

"I'm sorry." He said, tried to console the girl. "Hermione," He said. She stopped sniffling.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to call you Granger." He said.

"Oh good!" She said happily. "But I don't know your name." She said happily.

"Draco." He said. "Draco Malfoy."

"Why'd you tell me your last name, silly. I'm not gonna call you Malfoy." She said, giggling at the blonde. He stared at her in fascination. She didn't know him, his potion went wrong. The user was supposed to be aged, which wasn't a problem, they were at their Aging stage when it spilled. But she was supposed to remember that she hated him. And Professor Snape had told him to take care of what he had done.

"Come on Hermione. You have to meet someone." He said. He had to go talk to Professor Snape.

* * *

Knocking on the Potions door, he stood patiently. He opened it, everyone looking at the little girl in his arms. Some were giggling at how cute she was, and others were staring in awe. The first year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs looked at them.

"Mister Malfoy, what is going on." Professor Snape demanded. Hermione jumped from Draco's arms and walked over to Professor Snape.

"Well, Professor, this is what happened after she was hit with the potion." He said calmly.

"So, does she remember anything?" He asked, eyeing the child at his feet.

"No. Not anything. Except up to this age. But I told her where she is."

"Well, you'll have to keep charge of her until she changes back, which might not be for a long time." He said.

"Hi!" She said waving to the Professor. He looked at her in repulsion.

"Hermione." Draco said. "This is Professor Snape."

"I like you, you're tall." She wrapped her little arms around his feet, and the class 'awwed' at Hermione.

"Come on Draco, can we go meet some more people. Bye bye, Professor Scrape!' She said to the Professor, and he glared at the child as she left the classroom.

* * *

Draco led Hermione into the Great hall and up to the Staff table who stared at her.

"Professors," He said. "I had an accident in Potions and hit Granger with an unfinished Aging Potion, and this is what happened." He said.

Professor McGonagall spoke. "She doesn't remember anything, I'm sure." He nodded and she continued. "I'm sure your Head of House told you to take care of her, and we'll have to inform the school. That's it, Mister Malfoy. She goes to everyone of your classes." He left and sat her down at the Slytherin table. Before serving the food, Dumbledore stood to announce her changing.

"During a 7th year Potions class, an unfinished Aging Potion was accidently threw at another student, therefore stopping the Aging process and Deaging them. I am informing you, that none other than Hermione Granger was the student the Potion took affect to. She is now under charge of the person who cause it, Draco Malfoy." Every head turned to the Slytherin Table, where they saw the little girl sitting next to the flaxen haired Slytherin.

"Hi!" She waved, and another serious of 'Aws' erupted through the crowds.

"Well, if you ever come across this girl, you know who she should be returned to. Tuck in." He said, allowing the students to eat. Hermione was delighted as the food popped onto her plate, and she began eating the mashed potatoes and gravy that was on her plate. Her tiny fingers, were covered in potatoes and gravy, and she took a chicken leg, and ate half, before closing her eyes, leaning her tiny head on Draco's forearm. He looked at the little girl curiously, before turning back to his dinner.

"Wow." His friend Blaise said, looking at the sleeping figure. "She's cute."

"She hugged Snape when I told him about her changing." The three Slytherins laughed at the thought of it.

"I can't believe you hit Granger with a potion. I'm surprised McGonagall didn't have your head when you told her." Pansy said, scowling at the girl, but not being able to look at her without smiling.

"No, they just told me I had to take her to all of my classes. And Pansy, I just thought about one thing. If she stays like this for a while, you know. She is a girl, and could you help me with her? You're a girl, ('I think.' He thought.) and you could dress her and give her baths and stuff, girl stuff."

"Oh of course, I'll help you Draco." She said. "Anyways, she's absolutely adorable though." The little girl shifted, moving her head back up after it fell. She buried her nose into Draco's robes, tickling his shoulder. Dinner was over, and Draco picked Hermione up, careful not to wake her. He walked into the Transfiguration classroom, and sat her on the chair between him and Pansy.

"Today, we will be transfiguring cockroaches into pins." Professor McGonagall said, writing the spell on the board. Hermione sat up, obviously awakem and looked at the spell on the board. "So," She waved her wand, and a cockroach appeared on everyone's desk. "Start." Draco said the spell, his cockroach turning half way into a pin, with legs. Hermione giggled, and picking up the scuttling pin, and gave a little shriek.

"Oh yeah, let's see you try and turn it like a pin." He said to the girl. He changed it back to a cockroach, and looked at her. He handed her his wand, and she recited the spell, the cockroach crawling away.

At first, it went into convulsions. Then, it flipped over, legs flailing, and one leg folding over, the other five combining into one. The cockroach's body rounded up, and the back of the cockroach was a perfect pin. He glared at her. He began silently cursing at nothing, not aware the Hermione was listening to him.

"Minnie! Professor Minnie!" Hermione called out, waving her pin. She walked over to the girl.

"Oh gracious, Hermione, you did that by yourself?" She asked.

"Yes, Draco told me the spell, but this is his cockro--- Eep!" The pin, which the spell was only temporary, popped back into a cockroach, and Hermione jumped up into Draco's lap, hiding herself as Pansy helped pick it up.

"Thank you Pansy." Hermione said to the Slytherin, smiling.

"No problem, Hermione, no problem." She said, laughing at the girl.

The bell rang, dismissing the class. This time, Pansy held the little girl as they came up to the common room.

"Is this my room?" She asked, turning to Draco.

"No, your room is there." He said, pointing to the door with her name on it.

She ran into it, and stared at everything. She jumped on her bed, looked into the mirror, played with the beads hanging off her dresser, looked at her trunk, and lay on her bed.

The girl had now been occupying herself with the taps in the bathroom, when she heard,"Hermione! Hermione! We have Divivnation!"

* * *

Krysta's Notes: That was on purpose. XD Well, you have to wait and see what Hermione does in Divination. Her and Trelawny. 


	3. Professor JumpUpATree, HiHi Professor Sc...

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/ Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But being he cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Krysta's Notes: Wouldn't you be Out of your normal Character if you had to take care of you five year old enemy?

Chapter 3: Professor Jump-Up-A-Tree, Hi-Hi Professor Scrape, and Burning

* * *

Sitting Hermione between Blaise and himself, Draco glared holes at the old bat in front of the room. Giving a scowl to a happy Hufflepuff, he dropped his head, listening to the teacher rattle on about crystal balls.

"Well, partner up, and look through your inner eye..." She said, holding the last syllable out as she widened her eye and pointed at it. One of the Slytherins threw something which hit the desk, and caused the teacher to poke her eye.

* * *

Draco turned to Blaise after controlling his laughter. Looking at his crystal ball, he could see that Blaise had a lot of problems.

* * *

Hermione stood in front of Trelawny's table. "Professer Tree, I don't have a partner." She said, making the divination teacher squirm.

"Oh, you shall be my partner, you possess a strong inner eye relation." Hermione sat in front of the Professor.

Draco and Blaise stopped joking about their deaths when they heard screaming. They looked around noticing that Hermione was gone.

* * *

"You, Professor Jump-Up-A-Tree, have the most _screwed up,_ bloody job in the world!" She cried out, looking at the lady. Many students stared and some laughed at the five year old use of words.

"I'm gonna die in seven days? You sound like that retard from the Ring and look like a White African cow!" Hermione stormed from the classroom.

"Crazy bloody _bitch_!" She yelled, making the class snicker as the bell rang, and Draco ran after Hermione.

* * *

"Hermione." He said, the girl whipped around, a fire lit in her eyes.

"_What?_ What could you _possibly_ want, _now_, you bloody _wanker_?" Her eyes died down. "Sorry, hey Draco." He could hear Blaise sniggering behind him.

"And _what_, may I ask, is _so_ bloody funny, you _have_ to laugh!" She thundered at Blaise, making him cringe.

"Nothing." He said softly.

"That's what I thought." She said, but Draco's watched her eyes light up. He looked around and smiled; Hermione had just seen Professor Snape.

* * *

"Hi-Hi, Professor Scrape!" The child chirruped, launching herself onto the older man. He turned around, glaring at the Gryffindor, but gave a smile when he recognize her face. Who could ignore a cute child like that?

* * *

She followed Professor 'Scrape' into the Great Hall, and up to the staff table, who smiled at her.

"Hi-Hi Professor Minnie, Professor Bushy-Head, Professor Box, Professor Grampie."

"Hi Hermione!" They all chorused.

* * *

Professor Minnie was Professor McGonagall, who had informed Hermione of her real name, and since she couldn't pronounce it, she called her Professor Minnie.

Professor Bushy-Head was Hagrid. The child had taken an immediate liking to Hagrid's bushy mane of hair.

Professor Box was Professor Binns. Hermione hadn't known what he meant when he told her his name, and assumed by 'Binns' he had meant 'Box'

Last, but not least, Professor Grampie, or Dumbledore. She had also taken a liking to him and his white fluffy beard and called him 'Grampie' or 'StoryTeller'.

* * *

Sitting next to Professor 'Scrape' she began eating her food, silently, still managing to get food on her face. Professor McGonagall kindly wiped it off.

* * *

Hermione's corn, which lay at the end of her spoon in a big lump, had been launched in the air when she dropped her goblet, spilling pumpkin juice. The corn hit the chandelier in the ceiling and it fell, forcing the Slytherins from their table, which had been lit in fire. Hagrid had jumped up from the pumpkin juice in his lap, and his empty goblet rolled down the table. Hermione jumped on the table, chasing the goblet, and failing, flying off the end of the table, and climbing underneath it to look for the goblet. It knocked a candle over, forcing the candle to the floor. The wetness of the table didn't help the fire. Everyone evacuated the Great Hall, as the staff table collapsed in ashes and fire.

* * *

Draco, being the last person, left the Great Hall in ruins, though swearing up and down he heard someone in a small coughing fit, but saw no one and left. Although, he forgot, that Hermione never escaped from underneath the burning table.

* * *

Krysta's Notes: XD Laughed at the Divination, cried at the ending.>. ,Poor Hermione, I yell at Draco for not searching for her. Oh well, we'll see what happens to her. 


	4. Black Boy, Superman, and His Princess He...

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/ Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But being he cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Krysta's Notes: Wouldn't you be Out of your normal Character if you had to take care of you five year old enemy?

Krysta's Notes 2: Please, all reviewers. First, I'd like to thank you all for reviewing this story. Second, I would like your opinion on my other stories, mainly Freedom's Liberty, Slavery's Blood and Lady Voldemort. In Lady Voldemort, I need a pairing. Draco/Hermione, Harry/Hermione, or Draco/Harry. Please read and respond to the votes, and the consequences are important to read also. Thanks a bunch!

* * *

Chapter 4: Black Boy, Superman, and His Princess Hermione 

Professor Dumbledore stood head of the large crowd outside the Great Hall.

"It appears, we are missing the little one, Hermione." Draco gasped, and looked at the door before running in.

"Mister Malfoy, Mister Malfoy come back here!" Professor 'Minnie' McGonagall said, although she too was worried for her.

* * *

Draco ran to the Gryffindor table and checking near it, covering his nose and mouth with his robes. He let out a choking cough before running to the staff table, remembering that was were Hermione was seated. He grabbed the table, and dropped it quickly; it was hot. 

"Fuck!" He swore, and kicked it over, seeing Hermione's form in flames. He stomped the flames out, careful not to hurt her and picked her up, worried when no sound of consciousness came from her. Covering her in his robes, which he had taken off to reveal his white shirt and dress pants, he ran from the hall.

Coughing and spitting, he entered the Hospital Wing, Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall following him. He placed Hermione down on a bed while Madam Pomfrey told him to apply burn crème to his hand. She wrapped it in bandage, and tutted at Hermione.

* * *

He came back to see how she was. She was horrible. Her back length curls were burnt, leaving them up to her shoulders. She had a scar running from the corner of her right eye to her jawbone. Her right hand had a huge cut in it, abling a person to see inside her hand. Both her shoulders had searing cuts from the top to her elbows. Her ankle was twisted in a weird direction. 

Harry and Ron entered the Infirmary, intent on seeing Hermione.

"Potter, Weasley, what are you doing here?" He said, growling at the two.

"We came to see Hermione, we're allowed to. We're her friends." Ron said, stepping up.

"Not if I say. If I tell Hermione you're evil, she wouldn't listen to you." Draco said, smirking evilly.

"Draco—cough—that's not nice." Hermione said, and the three ran over to her.

"Hermione, oh my, are you okay?" Ron exclaimed, worrying over her.

"I'm fine. What happened?" She asked.

"The Great Hall was set on fire and you were caught underneath the staff table." Draco said, recapping it.

"I was looking for Professor Bushy's gobblie." She said, remembering. Then she started crying. Draco hugged the girl tentatively.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"I set the Big Breakfast Room on fire, I knocked the shiny lights down, Draco. I didn't mean to, it was all my fault!" She said, sobbing harder into his chest.

"Hermione, it was an accident, it wasn't your fault." He said soothingly.

She sniffed. "But won't Professor Grampie be mad?" Hermione asked Harry.

"No, of course not! It was an accident. This is a magic school, it'll repair itself." She smiled.

"Thank you Black Boy, you made me feel better." Harry stared at the injured girl.

"Black Boy?" She nodded.

"You have black hair, you are black boy." She stated simply.

"And you, are Superman." She said, pointing to Ron.

"You're hair is red like Superman's cape." She declared, and began giggling. The minute she started giggling, she stopped, and clutched her abdomen, coughing up blood.

* * *

"Hermione!" Draco fussed, picking the girl up and setting her on the bed. 

"Where else did you get hurt?" He asked. She lifted the hospital shirt and he could see a few of her ribs dented inwards.

"She can go, Mister Malfoy, but keep her out of strenuous activities." Madam Pomfrey said to him. Harry picked the girl up, and she leaned her head onto his shoulder.

"Thank you, Black Boy." She said, before closing her eyes. He smiled, and walked with Draco and Ron, who were being civil at least, back to their common room. Draco said the password, and entered. Harry set Hermione down on her lilac bed, and pulled the black covers over her.

"You better take care of her, Malfoy." Harry said sternly, crossing his arms.

"Yes, Mother Dear." He said, toying with a burnt fringe on his robe.

"Malfoy, I swear. If you hurt her, I'll murder you." Ron said, cracking his knuckles.

"You care, a little too much, Weasley." He said and sighed. "But you care." Ron's ears turned bright pink and he mumbled a few choices words under his breath.

"What'd you say, Weasley?" Draco asked, delighted at getting a nerve.

"Wouldn't you like to know!" Ron countered triumphantly.

"Ugh, now I really don't wanna know what you said." Draco said.

"Well, Black Boy and Superman can leave, Princess Hermione will be back to see you tomorrow." Draco said. Harry and Ron said goodnight to Hermione, before leaving.

* * *

Professor 'Grampie' walked into the Common Room. Hermione jumped up from the bed, seizing the man around his legs. 

"Hermione, are you alright?" He said, ruffling the girl's hair.

"Storyteller, aren't you mad at me?" She said, using another nickname she had picked up from eating lunch with the old man.

"I blew up the Hall, I burnered it. Don't you hate me? Draco should've left me there to die…." She said, dropping onto the floor, her bare knees cooling against the tile. Tears splattered against the white tile, making it look as if a magnifying glass was hovering over it.

He clamped a hand on her shoulder, feeling the ring against her bandaged shoulder.

"The tables, the plates, the forks, knives and spoons can all be replaced, Hermione." He said, standing the girl up. Draco knew just what to add.

"But there's only one you, Hermione. Only one Hermione Granger."

"Only one granddaughter, one 'Mione, one Giggles" A name she acquired from constant giggling.

"Thank you, Storyteller. Night." She said, hugging the man, and wiping her face on the polka-dotted sleeve of her nightgown. Draco helped her back into the bed, and tucked her in neatly. Then the two went to sleep.

* * *

In the night, Hermione woke from a terrible dream, shaking. She ran into Draco's room, and shook him also. 

"Hermione, what?" He said annoyed, but stopped when he saw tears.

"I had a dream that a man was coming to kill us, Black Boy and Superman and you and me!" She cried. He knew she was talking about Voldemort.

"It's alright, Hermione." He said, sitting her in his lap. She lay there for a few hours, until he noticed she was asleep. He couldn't move her, so he put his arms around her, and kissed her forehead, before closing his eyes, swearing he wasn't attached to 'Princess Hermione.'

His 'Princess Hermione.'

* * *

Princess Hermione—Draco's nickname for Hermione. Inspired by my boyfriend's nickname for me, which is Princess. 

Black Boy—Totally random nickname for Harry and his dark hair.

Superman—It made me giggle, thinking of Ron it tights. XD

Thanks to new reviewers, and my reviewer of the update is seaweedqueen. She left an enthusiastic review, and made me feel good. I still love you all though. 3 D


	5. Hopskotch& I Never Want To See You Again

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But him being cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Krysta's Notes: I'm now commiting a section to the people who have reviewed this story.

* * *

**Chapter 1: DrAcOsSeXxIiBaBiI, MeLiO, PART-TIME SINNER,trapped-in-a-dream, prin69.**

**Chapter 2: prin69, yamatoishida, Sancontoa, trapped-in-a-dream, seaweedqueen.**

**Chapter 3: trapped-in-a-dream, seaweedqueen, duj, prin69, iliketosleep.**

**Chapter 4: Alenor, Rogue Vampyre, seaweedqueen, spychick989, DrAcOsSeXxIiBaBiI, prin69, Angel Moon Princess, pinkstar146.

* * *

**

Disclaimer: I am now going to put on of these every five chapters.

Krysta: Guess what? I own Harry Potter! ---smiles---

Kelsey: And I'm the prime minister. --evil look---

Krysta: Awesome! Tony Blair sucks. ---claps hands---

Kelsey: I was kidding you dope! --whacks Krysta on the head with a rolled up newspaper---

Krysta: Damn, so I don't own Harry Potter?

Kelsey: If I can't be the prime minister, what makes you think you can be happy? ---maniacal look---

Krysta: Uhm... But I still own Harry Potter!

Kelsey: Right, so I guess I'm gonna go murder Tony Blair, so I can replace the fool instead of having jail time, cause everyone knows how brilliant I am. Right, Krysta?

Krysta: ... ---sweatdrop---

Kelsey: I'm gonna get Jon's chainsaw on you! --eyes turn red--

Krysta: No! I'm now gonna write a quick will. I leave possession of Harry Potter and co to J.K. Rowling.

Kelsey: ---slaps Krysta in the back of the head--- Finally!

Krysta: What?

Kelsey: I was waiting for you to give that up!

Krysta: NO! Lawyers, come back! --calls after lawyers who are carrying the giant novel of Harry Potter in their hands---

Laywers: Never! --laugh--

Krysta: Damn you Kelsey, now I'll never own them again! I keep mailing J.K. to get them back, but she won't give 'em to me.

Kelsey: I am J.K. Rowling, Krysta --takes off mask to reveal J.K. Rowling---

Krysta: No! Wait, I'm not Luke Skywalker?

Kelsey: And I'm not J.K. Rowling. --takes off another mask-- So the lesson is...

Krysta: My sister has many identities?

Kelsey: No! Guess again!

Krysta: --mutters-- Never listen to my crazed sister's attempt to kill with Jon's chainsaw.

Kelsey: No! You fruitcup, the lesson is you don't own Harry Potter!

Krysta: But that's no moral! Everytime someone gets jumped by their incredibly crazy sister, it means they don't own Harry Potter?

Kelsey: No, just you.

Krysta: Damn my sister... I guess I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

Extra Krysta's Notes: Those of you who haven't read the chapter 'Mother' in my 'Alas, But a Collection' story, Kelsey is my sister, who's eleven and Jon is my brother, Jonathan, who's 17. He has a chainsaw cause he has woodshop classes.

Also, Draco become very in character this chapter. But Hermione really isn't. The kind of character I gave her which was kind, caring, sweet, and funny, turns different after a little predicament with Draco. So, she's going to be a little weird in this chapter. Sorry about Draco's OoCness in the past chapters, but Hermione is a very delicate little girl. I based most of her happenings on mine, although I'm not magical.

The first thing she does, like her attempts to wake up Draco, was based on me. I started gymnastics when I was four. So, that's where she gets most of it from.

Sorry to keep you, but this chapter is dramatic! Read on!

* * *

Chapter 5: Hopskotch and I Never Want To See You Again!

* * *

Squeak...squeak...squeak...

Draco groaned as he felt a bouncing on the end of his bed.

"Draco, Draco, Draco, Draco, Draco! You sleepy head, wake up!" The curly headed young girl yelled at the blonde and continued jumping.

Hermione was fully dressed in a pair of overalls and a red shirt Harry had given her after recovering that said, "I'm not scared of you, I'm a Gryffindor." A graphic of a little person puffing his chest out to a tiger was next to the words.

Her hair was braided into two plaits, courtesy of Pansy, and tied with red ribbons on the end. The ribbons were hung over her shoulders and stopped near the buttons on the overralls. Her hair would've been longer, but she lost an inch in the fire.

"Get off my bed, Hermione. Stop." He whined groggily. The jumping ceased as Draco took a breath. But Hermione had other ideas.

She grabbed a bunch of Draco's textbooks and piled them up to about three quarters of her height and rummaged through her room and found her gymnastics medal. She looped the medal around her neck and stood against the wall.

**Wanna guess what she's gonna do?**

With a running start, Hermione backflipped onto the textbooks and sprung off, flipping through the air. She was silent in her approach, but when she successfully landed on Draco's stomach, she let out a squeal. Draco emitted a moan.

"Hermione! Come on, I'm trying to sleep." He said. Blaise and Pansy watched amused from the door.

"Draco, dear friend. You've missed breakfast and if you don't get up you'll be late for Care of Magical Creatures. It's Saturday, but we have morning classes." Blaise pardoned.

"Get up now!" She yelled at the Slytherin. "Or I'll blast you to bits!" She jumped around Draco's head, frightening the Slytherin incase the girl missed; he'd have a migraine for a lifetime.

"Oh really, now?" Draco questioned, head buried neatly under the covers.

"Yeah. I was reading a bunch of your textbooks before we left for breakfast. Something called 'Advanced Charms for Seventh Years.' I don't know who by the lady has a funny name." He laughed.

She picked up his wand from the counter and shot out a charm.

'Barragio!' She said triumphantly, but missed on purpose and made a giant seared hole through Draco's bed. The hole was right next to his ear, which made him jump up.

"Alright, I'm up. Just don't hurt me." The little girl had a very demanding look on her face.

"Okay!" Draco started to put his robes on, but Hermione smacked him on the back. Or as high up near his back she could reach.

"You're supposed to brush your teeth! You'll get cavities!" She said, pulling Draco by the hand into the bathroom. With his wand, she enlarged the little step stool to a bigger one and climbed up to level the mirror. She put some toothpaste on his toothbrush and stuck it in his mouth.

"Oomph!" He said, swallowing half of the toothpaste and started choking.

"Oh my god! Anybody know the Hermich 'neuver?" She asked, running back into Draco's room.

Blaise and Pansy ran into the bathroom where Draco was coughing on the floor. Hermione did the only logical thing she could think of. She jumped on his stomach again, sending the toothbrush across the room. Pansy handed Draco a cup of water.

"Rinse now, Draco." She said playfully, earning a glare from the blonde. Hermione crept up to the sink where he was spitting the water out along with any of the minty toothpaste he could.

"Sorry Draco. I didn't mean to..." Draco cut her off irritably.

"Didn't mean to what? Ruin my morning? Jump on my stomach _twice_ already? Burn a hole through my _brand new _mattress? Hit me? Make me _choke_?" He screamed at the girl.

"I said I was sorry!" She yelled and ran from the bathroom while Pansy and Blaise glared at Draco.

* * *

"Draco, look. She's five. She's a Gryffindor no less. She can't always do everything right. Just because she's close to doing everything right at seventeen, doesn't mean she was doing it right from the time she was born!" Pansy told him.

"You know, being a Gryffindor has nothing to do with it. Why are you being so rude to her? It's your fault that she's this way. Maybe even if she was seventeen again, you'd still be sleep but yelling at her for leaving you sleep! So just stop it, Draco. You know what? I told her to go wake you up by any means possible, are you gonna yell at me?" Blaise said angrily. Draco shook his head.

"She's a dentist's kid, that's why she told you to brush your teeth! She'd figured you knew how without choking! I gave her the spell book to read so she could occupy herself without causing a ruckus. Who knows where she is now?" Blaise finished.

"She's not in the Common Room." Pansy said sadly. "Or her room. Or your room." Draco sighed.

"I'll go look for her." He said, grudgingly.

"No." Blaise commented.

"Blaise and I will. You're probably not the first person she wants to see." Pansy said.

They walked from the common room as Draco finished getting dressed. Putting on the rest of his attire, he walked into the bathroom and started brushing his teeth. **(A/N: That's sweet.)

* * *

**

Pansy and Blaise wandered the halls watching students rush by in a flurry for classes.

"I can't believe he would just snap at her like that!" Pansy said, unbelievingly.

"If I yelled at Draco for all the stupid things he did, I'd be mute and he'd be deaf." Pansy laughed.

"Man, I hope she's..." Pansy started.

"Shh!" Blaise said. He could hear little sniffling sounds and Hermione's voice. They had stopped in front of the Transfiguration classroom.

The class was full of third year students and Professor McGonagall had just let them have a free period. She sat with a little girl on her lap.

* * *

"So he did? Well let's just, oh I don't know, take fifty points off Slytherin." Pansy gasped. Never, in her life had she seen Professor McGonagall take off points for an unjust reason. But Hermione was like a daughter to the elderly woman.

"Um, Professor?" Blaise asked carefully. She turned to the door as well as the students to see the two seventh years.

"Sorry to bother you.."

"Oh, not at all!" She said. "Come in." Blaise and Pansy stepped up to her desk.

"Well, we were kind of looking for her." Pansy said.

"Oh. Hermione? You should have told me you left like that!" The professor said.

"I'm sorry. I just didn't feel like talking to him. I was upset." She said as Professor McGonagall let the girl go; she clung to Blaise. He picked her up.

* * *

"Come on, we have to take you back to the Common Room." He said.

"Please, Blaise! Don't! I don't ever want to look at Draco again! Please!" She begging him, fisting her hands through his robes and sobbing into his chest.

"Alright, alright." He calmed the girl. "Here, I'll take you to class okay? And during lunch, you can sit with Harry and Ron. Then when we go to Hogsmeade, I'll ask Harry and Ron to come along, okay? Is that okay?" Blaise asked. She nodded.

"Okay, come on." Pansy stopped him and retied one of the ribbons in her curly head.

* * *

They walked calmly outside; the sun beaming. But Hermione wouldn't look at the light of day; she just considered laying in Blaise's arms buring herself within the depths of his robes. They had Care of Magical Creatures with the Gryffindors, and Harry and Ron ran over as soon as they saw her foul mood.

"What's up with Hermione, Zabini?" Harry asked. He could hear Hermione say through muffled fabric, "His name is Blaise."

"She got into it this morning with Draco and he yelled at her." She tipped her head at the mention of the one-sided row and up and glared at the sun.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ron said to the little girl.

"Fine. As long as I don't ever have to look at Malfoy again." She sneered, which was very much out of her normal character.

"She just called him, Malfoy!" Harry whispered to Pansy. She smiled.

"Well, he got her mad!" She hissed back.

"You know what? I think I really know why. Remember, she just corrected Pot-Harry for calling me Zabini. Because I hadn't done anything. She thinks that when someone calls someone else by surname, it's referring in a negative way. That's why she called him Malfoy." Blaise said.

As the class started, neither Blaise nor Pansy could spot the blonde Slytherin. The lesson was near the lake and they had a pretty good view of the castle from the spot.

"Well, let's start!" Hagrid said.

"Today, we'll be study'n dragons. We got a Norwegian Ridgeba'k here. She's pretty calm now, but anyone bother 'er she'll hurt ya." The dragon was a light tannish color with black triangular ridges down it's back. Its purple eyes were narrowed at the group and Hagrid was gently petting it.

"So, anyone want to come 'ere to help with a demo'strati'n?" Hagrid asked. No matter how ruined Hermione's mood had been that morning, she sprung up and skipped happily to the front. She looked up at the giant and Blaise snickered, hoping she wouldn't hurt her neck.

"Can I help, Professor Bushy?" The child was standing directly under the man and he looked down at her with beady black eyes.

"O' course, 'Ermione." He said, guiding the little girl over to the dragon. The class stood up and formed a circle around the dragon. It was eyeing Hermione as she walked over.

"It's a girl, 'Ermione. Would you like to name 'er?" Hagrid asked the girl. She nodded.

She tapped her feet. "Hopskotch!" She chirruped.

"Come here, Hopskotch!" She said, petting the dragon's rough scales.

"'Ermione, the demo'strati'n is flying." He said, lifting the girl onto the dragon. The dragon fluttered it's wings around Hermione before hurtling into the sky.

The dragon circled the lake. Hopskotch deemed it an excellent idea to drop the little curly headed girl above the lake. Hermione was laughing as she fell. The Gryffindors ran over to the lake, along with Blaise and Pansy. A Gryffindor or at least Pansy thought, was standing as close to the lake as possible.

She drew the wand she had nicked from Blaise while being dragged around in his robes and yelled.

'Fetricio Repellious!' The spell didn't come into effect until Hermione was near the lake and stopped right above the water, ripples waking through it. She skipped across the water and got safely on land, hugged by someone in the front. Pansy and Blaise moved up to see that it was Draco.

* * *

"I was worried about you." He said to the girl as she shoved away from him.

"Leave me alone! I don't need you to worry for me, Malfoy! I hate you!" She yelled, tears in her normally cinnamon eyes, which were now a dark shade of brown.

"I really hate you!" She lowered her voice. "I hate you, Malfoy." And she ran full force into Pansy, tears running down her face again.

"Take me away from here, Pansy. Please. Please! I don't ever want to come back here again!" Pansy gave the Professor a look, which he nodded in approval, before starting off to the castle with Blaise. Draco followed as Hermione watched. Harry and Ron were next to him.

"Keep him away from me!" She hissed at Harry dangerously.

"Keep that bloody boy away from me!" She screamed as she flailed her arms and legs. Blaise tried to calm her down and shot the blonde a look. She was crying hysterically now into Blaise's robes making a giant wet spot.

"Please, Draco. Just leave her be for a while. Just let her recover." Pansy said. Hermion looked at the girl in horror.

"Never! I'm never talking to him again! I hate Malfoy, I hate him! Don't touch me, just don't touch me!" She yelled at him as he tried to console the girl. He suddenly felt a cold draft run over him.

"Fine! Granger, fine. Don't talk to me ever again. Hate me. I don't give a fuck. I'll stay away, but I won't ever come back." He said calmly, stalking off ahead of them.

"Good! I never want to see you again!"

She continued crying on Blaise, the dark haired wizard rubbing her back softly. Her last pleading words were "Don't take me back to my room. I don't want to go." before she fell asleep.

* * *

**Well? That was exhausting. And Barragio means to barrage or to break down. Fetricio Repellious means to repel the force. And don't worry, they are definetely gonna patch up. And a suprise next chapter! Read adn Review please!**

**Krysta **


	6. Snuffles and a Box of Kleenex

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But him being the cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Krysta's Notes: Only one person knows what is to come in this chapter, besides me. So, on with the chapter!

Also, for anyone's confusion, Hermione has been little for 4 days. Chapter 2 and 3 are one, her recovery is 2, and chapter five is 1. But this is still the fourth day.

And, a bit of BlaisePansy humor. Nothing more.

**Thanks to Sabrina/DarkReader, my new beta. Love you!**

* * *

Chapter 6: Snuffles and A Box of Kleenex

Flames engulfed the giant room. The floor was a row of dancing ember and the tables were burnt black as charcoal. Hermione coughed and sputtered in the middle of the burning room.

Smoke was rising through the air and Hermione could see two people side by side, being led towards her by two others.

Upon arrival, she could see Black Boy and Superman, Harry and Ron, her best friends. A row of fire separated the two of them from her and she felt tears stinging her vision. She could see Ron cast into the burning fire in front of her and revealed Pansy. Hermione gasped. Pansy had been a role model to the younger girl.

But it wasn't Pansy. She was pushed forward and the absence of her body revealed the scary man from her dreams. He was cackling with a raspy voice, which was joined with the still unknown person. The man from her dreams reminded her of the night she crept into Draco's bed before they became enemies.

"Ron! No! Pansy!" She screamed out, rushing as close as possible without any harm coming to her.

"He's dead. They both are. And Potter will be soon. Right after I throw him in too!" More cackles chipped pieces off Hermione's eardrums.

"Stop!" She screamed, covering her ears.

"Just stop it!"

The person shoved Harry into the fire.

"No! Harry!" She screamed, tears running down her face. She looked up in fury at the person who killed Harry. She screamed again.

It was Blaise standing there. How could he do that to her? Blaise had been her best friend and companion when Draco wasn't there. Thinking of Draco brought tears to her eyes.

"Blaise! You traitor!" She screamed at him. But Blaise was careened forward into the flames. Standing behind him was a dark figure. Hermione squinted her eyes to see.

It was Draco. His eyes were gleaming in a scary way and they were looking at her along with the scary man's eyes. They slowly advanced towards her as Draco rushed forward, through the fire and grabbed her.

"Put me down! Let me go, you meanie!" She screamed at him while kicking and flailing her legs. She knew it was no use.

"You want me to put you down? I will!" He said.

"Hurry it up, Draco! We must reach the Headmaster's office."

"No! You can't kill StoryTeller!" She screamed, while still trying to free herself.

"I can, right after we kill you! Draco, now!" Draco nodded back and with no hesitation, threw Hermione from over his head into the fire on top of Harry, Pansy, Blaise, and Ron.

"No! Ah! Help me! Please!" She could feel her body shaking and grasped the sides of her body to feel hands. Harry, Blaise, Pansy, and Ron were touching her. But how could that be? They were... dead?

* * *

Hermione jumped up. Seeing that she was in the Gryffindor Common Room, she quickly hugged the nearest thing; Professor Snape.

Professor Snape had been made to baby sit the young girl until his students returned from Hogsmeade. Then, Harry and Ron entered the room, uniforms slung over their shoulders, talking animatedly.

"Harry! You're still alive! Ron, you're alive too!" She exclaimed loosening her grip on the professor. She ran over to Harry and started crying on his dirty uniform. He moved it and allowed her to cry on his shirt.

"Hermione, it was a dream. We were never dead. We never died, Hermione." Ron assured her, slinging his uniform over his shoulder.

"I dreamed that the scary guy threw you and Pansy into the fire." She said to Ron. "And Draco threw you into the fire, Harry. He also threw Blaise into the fire! And then Draco came after me and threw me in too!" She sobbed, burying herself in his robes again.

"It's alright, Hermione. It's fine, we're all here."

"I'll take my leave. Potter, Weasley, Hermione." He said, seeing the look on the girl's face.

The professor left with a billow of his robe.

"Where are Pansy and Blaise?" Hermione asked, drying her tears. She figured if Harry and Ron said it'd be fine, it would be.

"They went to Hogsmeade and left you with us. They should be back soon." Harry answered, setting the girl down after supplying an answer.

"They're still alive?" She asked, smiling.

"Of course, Hermione. It was a dream." Ron assured her.

"Thank you. But Draco's still a meanie." Ron laughed.

"Meanie, meanie, meanie, meanie, meanie, meanie, meanie!" She chanted as Ron did a happy dance. As long as Hermione hated Draco, he'd use it for happiness, hoping she'd never forgive him.

* * *

Blaise and Pansy were in the pet store.

"I don't see why she needs a present." SMACK!

"Ow! Damnit Pansy, I just stated my opinion!" SMACK!

"Woman, please stop!" He pleaded and Pansy glared at him.

"The correct statement is I don't see why she doesn't need a present. God, Blaise, you'll never understand women."

"Good..." He muttered. "Half of them are bad enough just to make some of us go in the out door." SMACK! Blaise shut himself up for the day.

Pansy picked up a kitten. It had beautiful, soft, black fur with bright green eyes and white paws. It nuzzled her palm and she was awing at it.

"Pansy, are we going to buy it or what?" SMACK!

"One more time and I'll kick you where it hurts, Blaise."

They exited the shop with the kitten in question in a small but comfortable cage.

* * *

Hermione jumped up when Blaise and Pansy entered the room.

"Hermione!" Pansy said, dropping the cage and awaiting the girl's hug. Hermione ran towards Pansy on sight and hugged her.

"Pansy! Blaise! I missed you guys! Why'd you leave me for a long time! You're alright, right? Nobody hurt you? You need a boo-boo patch? A doctor? Surgery? Are you burning? Do you have a temperature?"

"Hermione, Hermione! Calm down, we're fine."

"Speak for yourself." Blaise commented. The cage was dropped on his foot and his cheek hurt.

"What was that Blaise?" Pansy said evilly.

"I said, Pansy is looking quite nice today, don't you think so Ron?" He passed the buck to Ron, who was blushing at the mention of Pansy.

"Good. Well, Hermione we got you something." Pansy handed her the cage as Hermione opened it.

"A kitten! Oh yay! I'll name it Snuffles!" She said, burying her nose into Snuffles' fur.

"I have to go get my brush!" She ran towards the door and stopped. She grabbed Blaise's hand and dragged him from the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Blaise, my brush is in my real room! I can't go in there by myself!" Sighing, he accompanied the girl to her room.

* * *

Entering the room, he kindly greeted Draco, who was curled up into the sofa. Hermione timidly looked at him and frowned when he didn't looked at her. Maybe he did mean it?

* * *

"Fine! Granger, fine. Don't talk to me ever again. Hate me. I don't give a fuck. I'll stay away, but I won't ever come back." He said calmly, stalking off ahead of them.

She didn't want Draco to hated her, she had been angry.

* * *

A voice pierced her thoughts.

"Hermione, the door is locked, hold on." Blaise said, trying different spells.

"Draco Malfoy." Draco said. Blaise turned and looked at him in question.

"What?"

"Draco Malfoy! That's the password to her door. Dumbledore made the passwords to each of our doors the other's name. Mine's Hermione Granger and her's is Draco Malfoy!" Looking to the younger girl, Draco continued.

"But she has to say it." Hermione's eyes watered as she turned away from Draco and looked at her door.

"Draco..."

"Malfoy!" She said, allowing the door to open before running inside. Draco stood up from the sofa and ran up the stairs. He entered her room to see her lying face down on her purple bed. Blaise waved him forward, knowing that Hermione needed Draco there to comfort her.

* * *

"Hermione." He said softly. The girl turned around and hugged him.

"Draco! I'm sorry! Please don't leave! Please! I'm begging you! I miss you already and it hasn't even been a whole day! Don't hate me forever, Draco! I don't hate you! I was angry! I'm really sorry!" She screamed apologetically. Draco held the girl in his arms as life depended on it.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry. I never meant to yell at you or say I hated you too. It's okay, it's really okay." He said to her. She smiled as Draco handed her the box of purple Kleenex tissues. She snatched about fifteen sheets out and daintily picked one up to dab her face with it. Blaise laughed.

"So, no more sadness?" Blaise said to the girl.

"No, sir!" She said to him and grabbed her brush from her nightstand. Snuffles ran in and jumped on Draco, followed by Pansy, Ron, and Harry.

* * *

"Oi! Where'd this little lot come from?" Draco said, sounding very British at the moment.

"Draco, meet Snuffles. Snuffles, Draco." Hermione introduced.

"Nice to meet you!" Draco said, shaking the paw of the kitten.

* * *

"Malfoy, I thought you hated her." Ron said rudely. Harry jabbed him and Pansy scolded him.

"She was just chanting how mean you were and now she's happily playing with you? What'd you do, drug her?" Ron said, snarling at Draco.

"Ron, shut up! God, will you and Draco just get along? Are you fucking drugged? Or is your brain cell count that low?" Hermione shouted at him. Ron went red.

"Hermione! Apologize!" Blaise said to the girl. She crossed her arms.

"Hermione, just apologize, although I see no reason why." Pansy said, making Ron turn redder.

"Fine. I'm sorry for yelling at you." She said reluctantly. Ron sighed and his face returned to a normal color...but not for long.

"But you're still really stupid." Harry laughed. Ron smacked Harry on the back of the head, but it only made him laugh until he started crying. Ron sat cross-legged on the floor, glaring at everything. Harry was laying on his back laughing, tears streaming down his face until Hermione attacked him.

"He's crying! Draco, the tissues!" Draco stuck the fourteen tissues in the box of Kleenex and threw them to Hermione who caught them and straddled Harry. Taking about twenty wads, she balled them up on Harry's face, smothering him in the scent of lavender. Harry began sneezing.

"More tissues!" Hermione grabbed ten to stuff in Harry's mouth to prevent sneezing and he gave a giant sneeze, scaring Hermione away and causing all thirty purple, lavender scented tissues to fly up in the air. A few wads landed on Pansy and she flipped out.

"Ew! I have germs from the Bastard-Who-Won't-Die! Eep, eep, eep!" She screamed while Harry visibly glared at her until tissues rained down on his head.

Professor McGonagall rushed into Hermione's room, eager to tell her something when she slipped on the box of Kleenex tissues and fell over Pansy, who gladly threw some of the infested tissues on the professor.

"Minnie!" Hermione yelped and ran over to the fallen professor. Helping her stand, she looked at the four teens and yelled.

"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, Ms. Parkinson! Clean up this mess!" She pointed. Hermione stood next to her pointing at the four.

"Now get to it!" Hermione yelled, making them all scramble for the tissues. She smiled and wrinkled her nose at Snuffles's piddle on the floor. Taking about forty tissues, she wiped up the mess outside the door. She discarded the tissues in her room and heard screaming.

"Ugh! There's fucking cat piss on this!" She heard Draco scream as she ran into Draco's Room. Snuffles curled up at her feet in a wad of Kleenex she used as a bed for the kitten. She buried her nose in it as Hermione fell asleep.

"Ah, how I love Kleenex." She said, closing her brown eyes and slipping into unconsciousness.

* * *

I loved writing the Kleenex. Let me tell you, I was three and attacked my dog with strawberry scented Kleenex and my mother used it to clean my brother's birdcage cause I used like tons of sheets.

Well, R&R! I finished this on 06/16/05 because imfeelingthis182 gave me about seven new reviews and I got ecstatic. Thank you imfeelingthis182!

Well, I know I told someone that something was supposed to happen, but I decided on putting it in the next chapter. I've pushed it off twice. it was supposed to be the fifth chapter and now this one, but I assure you that it will be the next one. I promise!

And Hermione's language is coming from Draco, his language is rubbing off on her.

Krysta :Smiles:


	7. When You Give A Child An Errand

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But him being the cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Krysta's Notes: This is the long awaited part of the story. It fits in before Hermione goes to sleep. So, enjoy. This has nothing else but what I promised, just a little SnapeHermione bonding.

Sorry, if some of Snape's actions are a little off and OoC.

Still the fourth day, just tells what happened when they left for Hogsmeade.

Reminder: MalfoyGranger. ZabiniWeasley/G/. Weasley/R/Parkinson. SnapeMcGonagall

Chapter 7: When You Give a Child an Errand

Chapter Reminder/Warning: This is before Hermione has the nightmare in the previous chapter. Warning: Snape will show somewhat a normal nature to Hermione. If this disturbs you, run while you can. LoL.

_.-.-.-.-. Flashback .-.-.-.-._

Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape were in Dumbledore's office.

* * *

"Minerva, no way in hell I am going to Hogsmeade." The Potions Professor said.

"Well Severus, you need to do something! Stop being a grouch!" The elderly witch stated, sitting in a chair beside the Headmaster's desk. Dumbledore smiled at the bickering pair.

_'I wish they'd just kiss already'_ He thought, stroking his gray beard.

"Well, I hate these wretched children. They're little demons." He hissed to the Transfiguration teacher.

* * *

"Professor!" Blaise interrupted, charging into the office. Snape switched his glare onto Blaise, before releasing it all together, as Blaise was a Slytherin.

"I really need help, Potter andWeasley are going to the pitch and there's no one to watch Hermione when we leave!" He exclaimed. Pansy, standing behind him, nodded. Snape passed Pansy a look. She had always been strange to the Potions teacher and creeped him out with her looks.

"Why children, Severus here would love to baby sit little Hermione, _won't_ you Severus?" The Professor said happily, smiling and urging the Potions Master to answer. His face twisted into a mix of shock and horror and caused Pansy to laugh.

She was silenced by a glare from the Potions Master.

"Yeah, Professor Snape. She really seems to like you a lot." Pansy added.

"Alright, but only this once!" He said and stormed out.

"Oh and Professor?" Pansy said, calling him back in. The man looked weirdly at the Slytherin girl.

"Hermione is in the Gryffindor Common Room and refuses to leave." The greasy haired Professor left in a huff again. Professor McGonagall high-fived Pansy and the younger girl left happily with Blaise.

* * *

In the Common Room, Hermione jumped up to greet the professor.

"Hi...Professor Scrape!" She said, officially greeting him with a hug. He peeled the girl off him.

"Look, girl. Sit there, play with whatever you have there, and let me be." The greasy haired man said, glaring and squinting at all the red and gold.

"But that'll be no fun!" She exclaimed. He waved a hand nonchalantly at her.

"No fun at all." She whispered, rubbing her hands together while she was hatching a plan.

* * *

Hermione sat there for a while, before creeping off. She walked up the girls' dormitory steps armed with a wand she found.

_'Probably Scrapie's'_ She thought.

She tore through the stuff in the rooms and found a giant bag. She carefully used the wand to assemble things back to normal.

* * *

Before coming back out, Hermione stopped and took a breath. She continued her trek, dragging a bag three times her size out. It was labeled _'Lavender's Accessories.'_

"No wonder no one loves you, Scrapie." She said, looking at the sleeping Potions Master. His eyes were screwed up into a nasty look even for a sleeping person and his arms firmly crossed across his black robed form.

* * *

She wrapped a bright blue feather boa around the Potions teacher's neck. She adorned his neck with tons of multi-colored flower leis. She magically attached two pearl earrings to the Potions Master's ears and magically turned his hair into cornrows.

Then she applied bright pink lipstick, purple eye shadow, blue lip liner, and black eye liner to his face. Finally, when she started adding mascara to his left eye, it popped open and the brush poked him in the eye.

* * *

"Child!" He roared. She ran from the Common Room to StoryTeller's office. Professor McGonagall smiled quickly at Hermione and tried to hold in a laugh at Snape's appearance. Professor Dumbledore let out a heavy chuckle at his employee's 'new look.' Hermione took refuge behind Dumbledore's desk.

"Sorry, Scrapie. But I had to make you pretty, cause nobody loves you." Hermione said, shyly.

"Hermione!" Professor McGonagall said.

"Oh!" She said, winking at the older lady.

"I forgot, Professor Minnie's mad cause I made you pretty and all the other ladies are gonna like you and she doesn't want them to cause she loves you." The little girl said, running from the room.

* * *

Professor McGonagall ran after her, embarrassed. She was climbing a pair of stairs when Snape hit her with a sleeping spell. The girl teetered, before she began to fall.

McGonagall, with quick reflexes, shot a levitation charm to save the girl and glared at Severus. She shoved the child at him and stalked off.

"She has _got to _relax, _mayhap_ I'd look at her. Stop being such an angry old _bit._" The Potions teacher said to the sleeping child, before walking off. But Hermione could hear his statement and held back a wide smile.

* * *

Arriving back to the Common Room, Hermione was laid on the couch and Severus sat next to her, reading an old Potions tome. She moved over a bit and snuggled into his shoulder. At first, a disgusting look overcame his features, before smiling and smoothing her curly hair.

Hermione _'woke up'_ again. Professor Snape was sitting in front of the fire and Hermione wanted something to do.

* * *

"Scrapie, I need something to do." She complained to the professor.

He sat there, so Hermione poured some water on him. He remained still. She poured some syrup from the end of his wand and it stuck to his head. He got up slowly and charged at the girl. She quickly tore open a red pillow and caught the Professor in feathers. He looked like a giant chicken.

He rampaged at her, and attacked her. He pulled off globs of syrup and feather, tossing them at the little girl. She pulled out more stuffing and creamed him in the face. He tickle-attacked her until she would stop.

* * *

"Will you stop?" He said menacingly.

"Yes---ple--ease, lemm--eee--go!" She said between laughs. He let her go. Finally, they finished their odd excuse for a pillow fight. He cleaned his robes and sat back down, settling the tome in his lap.

"But I'm still bored!"

"Go recolor this room, that's what you should do. I hate red and gold." The man said angrily, obviously interrupted from reading that giant tome. he cast a spell to rid himself of feathers.He stalked into another room inside the Common Room. She grabbed the wand from her pocket and started reciting spells.

* * *

When Professor Snape came back; he was horrified.

The wall over the archway that led into the room was a bright purple and pink polka dots covered it. The second and third walls were shot at with different colors. Spots of green, purple, yellow, and red covered those two walls. And the last wall, which was opposite the door, she had somehow put an enlarged picture of McGonagall on the wall.

"Oh, I hope Minerva hasn't left." He said, rushing back to the Transfiguration office.

* * *

"Minerva!" he said, disturbing the witch who was currently taking the names up for Hogsmeade.

"Come here!" He said, dragging her to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Snape." He said and the door opened. She saw the wall and flushed red.

"Hermione did this?" McGonagall questioned, Snape was about to answer but the child cut him off with a silencing spell.

"No, I did the other three. Professor Snape has a little fascination with you. He did that, took the picture from his little twisted collection." Hermione said mischievously. She froze Professor Snape with a spell and beamed at the blooming witch.

"Well, this is...certainly a surprise." She said and left the room. Hermione climbed the girls' dormitory staircase with Lavender's bag and unfroze and unsilenced the Professor.

* * *

Snape began a screaming rampage after her up the stairs and she took shelter in Lavender's bed, replacing her bag. But he didn't continue up the stairs. She rushed out into the entrance and saw him sitting at the bottom of stairs-gone-flat.

She laughed and slid down the ramp.

* * *

"Don't kill me. I heard you say _'She has got to relax; mayhap I'd look at her. Stop being such an angry old bit'_ and I thought _'Why not?'_"The girl pleaded with the furious Potion Master.

"I won't kill you, if you just _relax_ for a while."

"Well, then kill me and send me to _hell._" She said, running around. He had no wand, as Hermione had it.

* * *

She shot a charm at him, covering his black robes with bright yellow. He slipped on the paint and recovered as Hermione tried to shoot a charm of purple at him and missed; it hit a red chair. Well, now it's red and purple. She tried to shoot a dark blue but it hit her instead.

She shot a blast of green on the floor and missed his feet again. Cleverly shooting an orange spray of mist into the air, it blinding his vision and he slipped in some dripping purple. Hermione laughed but wasn't fortunate enough as she slipped in her own green and fell on the Potions Master.

It was a pile of robes, bodies, and purple, blue, green, yellow, and orange-misted paint.

* * *

Later cleaningeverything, which included Hermione's blue and green robes, Professor Snape's yellow, orange and purple robes, the multi colored walls, Professor McGonagall's picture, cleaning the floor of feathers, and fixing the pillows. What Snape didn't get to was Hermione's secret trashing of the boys dormitory.

* * *

Hermione returned the Potions Master's wand and fell asleep in the uncleaned purple, blue, and red chair. Severus carefully labeled it _'Hermione's Chair' _and put a repelling spell, so the chair would never lose its color.

He covered the girl with a green blanket, content with the little Slytherin color. The chair was almost like a rainbow and the Potions Master smiled. He finished his tome and carefully watched Hermione for any movement to avoid trouble.

But little did he know, there was a camera blinking in the corner of the Common Room.

* * *

"Ah, how entertaining." Albus said to himself in his office. He had gotten a hold of the wizard version of a muggle camcorder and placed it in the Gryffindor Common Room, courtesy of Minerva. He gave a chuckle to the part where Hermione fixed the wall with the portrait of the Transfiguration teacher and blamed it on Severus.

_'At least she knows a little.'_ He thought happily.

_.-.-.-.-. End Flashback. -.-.-.-.

* * *

_

Krysta's Notes: I apologize for any mistakes, I wanted to post this quickly. Sorry! And this was again, BEFORE Hermione had went to sleep or the nightmare.


	8. Maybe Ron Could Help Me Hate Him

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But him being the cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Krysta's Notes: I got a lot of positive reviews for the SnapeHermione chapter, glad you liked it, you need some humor from the two of them. Because, when Hermione wakes up, into seventeen year old Hermione, it's going to be hell. That'll be coming in, about eight to ten chapters, and then, about seven or eight more after that to end it. So, it's not really soon.

Also, Draco gets 'in character' in this chapter and so does Hermione. Now, you all know what this means, that they are going to be apart for some time now. I apologize though, only for about days before the Halloween Ball.

Another also, the story now switches to the month October, as they started school in September. So, that's why Halloween is becoming a priority now.

And I'd like to again, thank my wonderful beta Sabrina((DarkReader)) for not taking forever like I expected. No offesne, Sabrina!

* * *

Chapter 8: Maybe Ron Could Even Help Me Hate Him 

Draco walked into his room, a towel around his waist. The tissues in the garbage that had been in his hair had radiated a nasty smell, so Draco had to shower it away. He was about to get dressed, but he saw Hermione on his bed, Snuffles curled up at the bottom.

Slipping on a shirt and pants, he picked up Hermione and brought her into her room. After tucking her into her bed, he returned for the kitten, who bounded away as soon as Draco touched it.

Climbing under his covers with a sigh, then he thought about Hermione.

'How would Hermione act when she returns to normal? If she returns to normal?'

'Would she still hate me?'

* * *

October wind bashed against the windows, but the sun shone through nonetheless. It was now the middle of the month, a week away from Halloween. 

The sun hit Hermione's face, and she rubbed her eyes. Yawning, Hermione sat up and saw Snuffles on the pillow next to her.

"Good morning, Snuffles." Hermione said, rubbing the kitten's fur as it gave out a mixed yawn/hiss.

Walking into the bathroom, Hermione brushed her teeth, and got herself dressed in a black t-shirt that says 'Damn Hot.' in white letters and black jeans. Leaving the Common Room, she went to the Great Hall, and saw Harry and Ron, actually up early.

* * *

"Hi Harry, Hi Ron!" Hermione said, walking over to the Gryffindor table, picking up a jelly filled biscuit. 

"'Mione." They both said, playing the 'Let's eat as fast as possible until we burst' game. Hermione laughed when Harry started choking on a strip of bacon.

She followed them to Herbology, she knew they had that class with Slytherin. Walking in, she didn't see Draco, but Blaise and Pansy seated next to each other. Hermione ran to the other side of the greenhouse and sat herself next to the two.

* * *

"I see you've decided not to wake Draco." Pansy said, addressing the young girl. 

"Nope. I left him there, he never wakes me up anyway. He'll be in for it, though." Hermione said, twisting around in her seat.

* * *

The class started, and Pansy and Blaise worked together on uprooting a carniverous plant called 'Bishkink.' It was hard to uproot, since it snapped it's large teeth at everything that moved, but they were smart enough to place a spell to keep it from moving, and Blaise was toying with it now that it was uprooted. 

"Ha! Bite me now, you little son of a bitch!" Blaise said, laughing. Hermione took Pansy's wand and whipsered to her. She whispered back and Hermione recited a spell.

"Relaso Bind' She said, watching as the spell keeping the Bishkink still wore off, and it latched onto Blaise's hand. With a startled cry, he flung the creature onto the desk and recited the freezing spell.

* * *

"Damnit Hermione! Don't do that ever again!" Blaise said to her, nursing his hand on the way to the Hospital Wing. 

"You shouldn't have been messing with the nice little Bishkink, Blaise. It was you're fault, I bet you wouldn't have done it if the spell was off."

"Damn right! And get bitten like that! Puh-lease!" He said. Entering the Hospital Wing, he started up a whole other argument with the little girl.

"Why! You seemed to have no problem doing it to me!" He complained, walking over to a bed and sitting on it.

"Because, Pansy wasn't teasing it like you were. Sticking you hand in its mouth, I bet it was really hungry staring at your hand, Blaise! That's being a tease." She said. She turned to face Pansy and said something, but instead she gasped. Standing up, she ran over to one of the other beds. Platinum blonde hair stuck out from underneath the covers, and she recognized it as Draco's hair.

* * *

"Draco!" She said, jumping onto the bed and sitting next to him. He groaned, and opened a liquid silver eye. 

"Draco, what happened?" She asked. Pansy and Blaise were by the bedside after they realized Hermione had moved.

.-.-.-.-.-. Flashback .-.-.-.-.-.

Draco was walking through the halls, about to walk down the staircase, when he heard a yell. A girl, in fourth year ran around the corner, smashing into Draco and hid behind him.

"Hey! What's your problem?" He asked irritably.

"He's after me, Professor Snape! I was just walking with my friends, and they said some stuff about him and I laughed, so he followed me. Ah!" She gave a short scream, as the Potions Master turned the corner and headed towards them.

"You, get back here!" The girl dragged Draco to the end of the steps.

When Snape tried to maneuver around Draco, the girl ran down the stairs, causing Draco to lose his balance. He was falling down the stairs and no one was around to help him. Professor Snape had turned tail and decided to head off the other way.

Suddenly, the staircase began to shift, and Draco noticed to his horror, as he was being banged up, he'd end up falling off the staircase to the first floor. He had been on the fourth floor.

The last thing he saw was a flash of red and black, before he blacked out.

.-.-.-.-.-. End Flashback .-.-.-.-.-.

"Draco are you feeling okay?" She asked. The Slytherin turned to her.

"Granger? What the hell happened to you?" He asked, confused.

"Draco, don't you remember anything? You've been taking care of me, for about a month!" She said, frustrated at his loss.

"Why would _I _take care of _you,_ a _Mudblood!_?You're not worth my time, you're just a waste of breath, Granger." He asked her and followed up with a jeer, his grey eyes boring holes into Hermione's sweet chocolate ones.

"It's your fault! No one asked for you to keep me! Why are you doing this, Draco?" She asked, sounding much like the seventeen year old she _should have_ been. But she _wasn't_.

"Draco? Since when was I Draco to you? What happened to Malfoy, git, slimy Slytherin--- anything!" He calmed himself down a little.

"Just--not--_Dray-co."_ He said, glaring at her. She turned and ran from the Hospital Wing.

* * *

"Draco! What the--" Pansy began, but Blaise put a hand on her shoulder. Blaise looked at her and motioned Pansy away from Draco. 

"Pansy, I think he has amnesia, I mean, falling three floors has to have an impact _somehow!_" He said, looking at Draco, who was scowling at everything.

They walked back and he looked up with a weird look.

"You done? Now, what the hell is going on around here, and what the _hell_ happened to the Mudblood?" Draco demanded, crossing his eyes and raising his blondeeyebrows.

* * *

Hermione was running. She didn't care where, she just had to run. Turning a corner, she crashed. 

"Hermione!" A girl said. She looked up, to see a fairly tall girl with red hair and brown eyes, looking at her.

"Umm... I don't think I know you..." Hermione said, inching away.

"Hermione, it's _me_! Ginny! My brother's name is Ron..."

"Oh!" Hermione said.

"Nice to meet you Ginny."

"What's going on? Where'd Draco go? What about Blaise?"

"Blaise is in the Hospital Wing with Draco, he fell three floors off the moving staircases, and he hates me. But who cares, he's a _slimy git _anyway." She said, looking down. She felt an ache in her chest from calling Draco names, but she ignored it.

"Hey Hermione, you missed the announcement before breakfast, you didn't here about it? There's going to be a Halloween Ball next week." Ginny said. She looked up, seeing Blaise and Pansy panting as they caught up with the little girl.

* * *

"Hermione! Don't run _off_ like that!" Blaise reprimanded. 

"Wouldn't you run if someone called _you_ a name?" Hermione said.

"Thank you for watching her, Weasley." Pansy said.

"Hmm-hhhm." Hermione said softly.

"What?" Pansy asked.

"Ginny! Her name's Ginny!"

"Sorry. Well, _Ginny_ what were you talking to Hermione about?" Pansy asked, stressing the youngest Weasley's first name.

"The Halloween Ball." And they started chatting about everything, from decor, to partners, to costumes.

"What about Hermione! We should go get her a costume; after all, they did reschedule another trip for today, since classes aren't going on." Ginny suggested. Blaise let out a groan.

"I'll go get some stuff." Ginny said, walking off.

"Likewise, Blaise, go to the Great Hall with Hermione." Pansy said and left.

* * *

He started off, but Hermione caught his hand. 

"Blaise, what's a _Mudblood_? Draco called me it this morning, what does it mean?"

_'Now how the hell am I supposed to tell her this?'_ Blaise thought.

* * *

Marching up to the Hospital Wing, he threw the doors open, Hermione behind him. Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore were in front of Draco's bed, fussing. 

"Excuse me, Professor. I have to have a word with Draco here." Blaise said maliciously. The Professors nodded, stepping out and closing the curtains, listening intently.

"Why'd you call her it, Draco? You tell her what it means, she wants to know? Go on, Draco. Tell her what she is to you. Tell her what a mudblood is." Blaise ordered.

Both Pansy and Ginny walked in, and heard Blaise's accusations. When they hadn't found him in the Great Hall, they immediately ran here, thinking something or other possessed Blaise to come here.

"--" Draco was at a loss for words. Professor McGonagall was surprised, Professor Dumbledore had a stern look on his face, Pansy was listening to the conversation, and Ginny had frozen.

"Hermione." Blaise whipped the little girl around to face him. He was looking deeply and penetratingly through her eyes and saw tears, but refused to leave her in the dark.

"A mudblood is someone born of non magical parents. Since you are a witch and your parents are humans, not wizards, you are a Muggleborn witch, or _much more kindly,_ a _Mudblood_."

"And Draco here, feels that since both his parents are wizards, that he can look down on people. Especially since you're smarter than him, Hermione." The girl was embracing him and now he was just talking to her.

"I could care less, Hermione. But since Draco has _ever so nicely_ pointed out your heritage, I will tell you the truth. Wizards with magical parents are supposed to be better, but in no way is this better. Come on, Hermione." The girl complied, speechless. Blaise carried Hermione past Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall, past Ginny and Pansy, and past Draco.

* * *

Ginny caught up with Blaise and Hermione near the Great Hall, while Pansy stayed with a confused Draco. 

Blaise set Hermione down, and told her to go to the Great Hall. Ginny turned to him and threw her arms around him. He was shocked, but returned the hug.

"Thank you for that. Hermione deserved to know and thank you for defending her. You've got my respect, Blaise." She said and sauntered off to the Great Hall, to get some lunch. He followed, still a little shocked that she had hugged him, and nonetheless touched him.

_'If only Weasley knew...' _Blaise thought, thinking of a reaction if he told the older Weasley what his sister had done. He decided against it and sat down at the Slytherin table, leaving Hermione with Ginny and Harry, who had been sitting at the table.

* * *

After lunch, Ginny met up with Pansy to go to Hogsmeade. Everyone was buzzing around about the ball. 

The village was a little more crowded it tended to be during October, since everyone was buying creepy things to set outside their homes. Ginny held Hermione while Pansy looked around at shops, smelling sweet smells and not so sweet ones.

They had found their way to a nice looking costume shop called _'Charlie's Costumes and Cosmetics.' _

Whatever thoughts Hermione currently had on her mind had vanished at the sight of the store.

It looked small, but it was huge. Racks of costumes covered each wall sparkling from the sunlight through the door and the skylight.

Containers of makeup for dress-up outifts, wigs to match costumes, and little toys like fake shotguns or sling shots lined up on shelves. The middle of the store was the check out counter, along with a registry, showing all the pre-ordered costumes and the ones that were still in stock.

Ginny had picked out the perfect costume. It was a red party dress that had no straps and had a semi-circle shape to the lower half. She had found a set of devil horns to put on her head and a pitchfork like thing she could carry around. The tail was a little much for Ginny, though. She had found matching heels, that laced all the way up her legs to her knees where the dress ended.

Pansy's costume was a little more happy. It was a emerald green, glitter sparkling over the dress. It was a V-neck, with thin straps that crossed over her back and the glitter faded as high up the dress you got. She found a beautiful green hat that complimented her dark hair, in the style of a summer hat.

Hermione had picked out her own costume, and had refused to show anyone what it was.

"It's a surprise!" She said, closing the bag shut.

They spent the rest of the day drinking butterbeer and eating candies from Honeydukes' sweet shop.

* * *

Returning to the Heads Common Room, Hermione spoke the password and allowed Pansy and Ginny to come into her room while she stashed her costume away. 

They all ventured to the DADA room, for class with Slytherin..._again_. This class, Hermione sat with Ron and Harry, watching them take notes on the Three Unforgivable Curses.

"--- three unforgivable curses known to the world. There is supposedly a fourth, but no one has gone on far enough to find out what it is, or how it affects someone. People have indeed been killed with it, but an autopsy proves differently, it seems to have a weird reaction. Unlike the Killing Curse itself--" Hermione lost interest.

Suddenly, she wanted to know what the fourth curse was. Scratch that. She _needed_ to know what the fourth curse was. It was part of her to hear things and wonder about them.

_'I'll get Blaise and Pansy to take me to the Library.'_ She thought, focusing back onto the lecture.

"--the Cruciatus Curse is performed by saying the words _'Crucio'_. It can only be performed to its full content if the user wants the person hurt. If they don't, nothing will happen except a tingling sensation. There are no known side effects to this curse and --" The lecture was interrupted as Professor Snape entered the room. All eyes were on him.

* * *

"Fetrelli. Dumbledore thought is wise if I give them a little _hands-on _show." The DADA teacher nodding, sat behind his desk looking over the homework. 

"First Curse. The Cruciatus Curse. The incantation is _'Crucio'_. Puts the victim in an unwanted amount of pain, only because it is wanted by the user. As Fetrelli stated, it will not work if you have no hateful feelings toward the victim. Example. Potter, get up here." Snape ordered, the class watching as Harry stood.

"Come on, Potter. We don't have all day. Bring your wand." Harry tentatively stood up and walked up front, clutching his wand so hard his knuckles were white and blue.

He knew Snape'd either make Ron or Hermione stand up, and he really didn't want to hurt either of them. Even if the spell wouldn't work if he didn't want it to, considering his luck, even a chance using the curse on a chair would be life-threatening.

"Miss Granger, you as well." Hermione sprung up to the front and smiled at Professor Snape. Harry became nervous. Since she was five, he was even more cautious around her. Hopefully, everything would be alright.

"Potter, I assure you, nothing will happen. Perform the Cruciatus Curse on her." Harry shakily faced Hermione. Ron's face was tight with nervousness and Hermione looked up at Harry fearfully, afraid that the curse would backfire. With her luck, she expected it.

"Crucio." He said strongly, although his insides were writhing. The gold jet of light hit Hermione and she began to laugh.

"Stop it, that tickles! I thought this was supposed to be painful!" Hermione said, clutching her sides. Harry broke off the curse and Hermione regained her posture.

"You see? Potter harbors no hard feelings against her, therefore, the curse didn't work. Potter, you can sit down. Miss Granger, you stay." Harry sat down, releasing a breath.

_'I don't know what I'd do if I had hurt Hermione.'_ He thought.

"Next curse. The Imperious Curse. The incantation is _'Imperio'_. This curse works on everything, _except_ strong willed people. I do believe Miss Granger does indeed have that quality, I gather from previous experience." He said, casting a look at Hermione, who had just straightened up from tying her sneakers.

"Imperio!" Professor Snape said, the silver light streaming towards her. Hermione shrieked as the spell hit her, her body glowing for a split second.

"Sit down." He said, watching her go back to her chair.

"Come back here, now." She did.

"You're obviously not as strong willed as we think. One more." Ron let out a growl. He seemed to be enjoying this _way_ too much. Even for Snape.

"Fetch me a glass of water." He said. Hermione stood still, almost contemplating something.

"Why?" She asked weakly.

"Because I told you to! Go fetch me a glass of water, Miss Granger." Hermione's feet were stiff and she winced.

"No." She said, her body glowing silver again as the glow separated into particles of silvery liquid and disappeared.

"Good. She did listen to the simple things I told her, but she didn't go against them because they were respectful things. She didn't think that fetching water would be respectable, in fact, I think she thought it was more of a servant like thing, and broke off contact with the curse." Snape said. He waved his wand over the board and a word appeared.

"Resistance." He said. "If you can resist the curse, you can beat it. Whatever is told to you, just think about how much you don't want to do it. The Imperious Curse doesn't take away your thoughts; it just takes what is ordered to you and makes it sound good."

"Miss Granger, care to tell me what you thought when I asked you for water?" Snape said, turning to the little girl who was still standing in the front.

"I heard a voice tell me _'I'd get in trouble if I didn't do it' _and I heard my voice asking _'Why?'_ so I decided that I really didn't want to go get you any water. And I thought, _'Why I should allow myself to get things for other people when they are just as capable?'_. And that's when I said no, and the curse came off."

"Thank you, you can sit down if you like." She sat back down next to Harry and Ron.

"Last of all, the Killing Curse. Almost like the Cruciatus Curse, you must harbor hate for someone to perform it. The incantation is _'Avada Keravada.'_" Snape recited a spell, watching a small, pink bird appear on the desk.

He blinked a few times, before saying loudly,"Avada Keravada!" And the bird fell down twitching, then...dead. The class had stood up and looked at the dead bird. They had kicked it, _'Ennerverate'_d it, and had even thrown it out the window. It was truly dead.

The class was over. Many people congratulated Hermione on being able to succeed the Imperious and not feel the Cruciatus. She had run up to Blaise and Pansy and asked them to take her to the Library, but they said no and decided to go see Draco before dinner.

* * *

In the Hopsital Wing, Hermione stayed with Blaise as he applied more creme to his bandaged hand while Hermione helped wrap it back up. Pansy was conversing with Draco. 

"So, some freak accident made her a five year old? And I thought my life wouldn't get any _better_." Pansy laughed, but her insides felt bad, like Hermione had felt when she called Draco a 'slimy git.'

"Well, Blaise and I'll be back to see you after dinner." Pansy said, leaving the Hospital Wing with Blaise and Hermione. As soon as they got out the doors, Hermione stopped.

* * *

"He hates me." Hermione said, looking up as tears shone in her eyes. 

"Oh Hermione, he doesn't even know what happened to you! He's got amnesia that means he can't remember anything. Last he said, he only remembers the summer before school." Pansy said, embracing the small girl. She wiped her tears and Pansy stood up.

"It'll be alright, he'll be back to normal soon." Pansy said, as she and Blaise continued walking. But Hermione stayed still.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Blaise asked, noticing that Hermione hadn't moved. Pansy turned around also.

"I c-can't." She said.

"What, you can't what, Hermione? You're not making _sense_!" Pansy exclaimed.

"Friends--Draco--hate--amnesia--_you_--_Blaise_--" Tears spilled from Hermione's eyes.

"Hermione, say this in a sentence!" Blaise said, shaking her by her shoulders.

This one sentence hurt Hermione the most.

"I can't be friends with you two anymore." And she broke from his grip, turned around, and ran towards the Great Hall, where she was sure Harry, Ron, and Ginny were. They weren't great friends with Draco.

'The perfect place. Maybe Ron could even help me..._hate_ him.' Hermione thought bitterly.

* * *

Krysta's Notes: I'm sorry! She needs some time with her own house, now! And Draco's amnesia will cure, I promise. 

Helping Her's Crystal Ball:

She was in the dungeons. The dank smell bothered her nose as she could imagine the smell, even from her dream. She saw a head poke out of the dungeons and Draco walk out. She saw herself, older than her current self, around Draco's age.

She and him embraced, but Draco's eyes widened when a hand protruded from his back, blood covered. He gasped for air, as she retracted her hand.

'I should've---never trusted you again---' He said, on his knees. She stood above him, licking her bloody fingers.

'The taste of your blood is so---sweet, Malfoy. And so are you. I never thought you'd trust me--a Mudblood and Gryffindor no less.' In her sleep, Hermione winced and gave an involuntary shudder as she heard herself say that horrid word.

'I'll make you beg for mercy, Malfoy. I'll make you scream and writhe and yell like you never knew anyone could. I'll make you sorry.' She said, turning and walking down the hall, licking her fingertips.

'Stop this--Hermione.' He said. She turned around and laughed. Her laughter was resounding off the bare, stone walls.


	9. Time With Her House and I Need Her

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But him being the cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Krysta's Notes: As everyone should know, it is now October in this ficcie, the middle of October, and Draco has yet to know of miniature Hermione's role in his life. Hermione gets a little in character and sounds like her older self for a while, or to me.

Two new things I have added to the fiction. A pensieve and a crystal ball. The pensieve is for the story, and since a pensieve recalls memories, it will be a flashback to the last chapter. The crystal ball of the story will show what is to come in the next chapter. The pensieve is in the beginning, almost like a _'Last Time, on Helping Her...'_ and the crystal ball is like _'On the next episode...' _

Well, let's continue on...

* * *

Helping Her's Pensieve: 

**"Hermione, what's wrong?" Blaise asked, noticing that Hermione hadn't moved. Pansy turned around also.**

**"I c-can't." She said.**

**  
"What, you can't what, Hermione? You're not making _sense_!" Pansy exclaimed.**

**  
"Friends--Draco--hate--amnesia--_you_--_Blaise_--" Tears spilled from Hermione's eyes.**

**"Hermione, say this in a sentence!" Blaise said, shaking her by her shoulders.**

**This one sentence hurt Hermione the most. **

**"I can't be friends with you two anymore." And she broke from his grip, turned around, and ran towards the Great Hall, where she was sure Harry, Ron, and Ginny were. They weren't great friends with Draco. **

**_'The perfect place. Maybe Ron could even help me...hate him.' _Hermione thought bitterly.**

And a huge quick thankie to Sabrina ((DarkReader)) my beautiful beta and friend. Thankies for checking my story! Love ya babe!

Enjoy! Krysta

* * *

Chapter 9: Time With Her House and I Need Her 

Hermione ran over to the Gryffindor Table and collapsed to her knees. Ginny, Harry, and Ron were instantly by her side.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ron asked softly, being delicate of the girl's feelings.

"Nothing. Everything is the way it's supposed to be. I hate Draco, so I have to hate Blaise and Pansy too..." Hermione said, resting her head on Ron's shoulder. He picked her up and sat her next to him at the table, filling her plate up with food.

Hermione ate her food delicately, careful not to glance over at the Slytherin Table, where a distraught Blaise, a confused Draco, and a crying Pansy sat. Looking into her peas and carrots, she saw a piece of corn. She smiled.

_'Draco would probably be her piece of corn to the Gryffindor Table.'_ Hermione thought.

_'Maybe, if this whole mess blows over, I can get him to sit at the Gryffindor Table.'_ She smiled and hadn't stopped smiling since that moment.

* * *

Returning to the Common Room, she, Harry, Ginny, and Ron played Exploding Snap. Ron set down a card, as one of the cards in his hand exploded and lit the tip of his already fiery hair on fire. 

Hermione reached over and put it out with a laugh and turned to her own cards, in her charred hands. She smiled. She hadn't been in the Gryffindor Common Room for this long, not to mention having this much fun, since the incident she had last with Draco, and Snape had to watch her. She smiled, looking at the chair.

Hermione slept in the sixth year dorms with Ginny, in an empty bed that was in between Ginny and her friend, Madison. She had a peaceful sleep, dreaming of something she never thought would have any significance.

* * *

_She was in the dungeons. The dank smell bothered her nose, as she could imagine the smell even from her dream. She saw a head poke out of the dungeons and Draco walked out. She saw herself, older than her current self, around Draco's age. _

_They embraced, but Draco's eyes widened when a hand protruded from his back, blood covered. He gasped for air, as she retracted her hand._

_'I should've---never trusted you again---' He said, on his knees. She stood above him, licking her bloody fingers._

_'The taste of your blood is so---sweet, Malfoy. And so are you. I never thought you'd trust me--a Mudblood and Gryffindor no less.' In her sleep, Hermione winced and gave an involuntary shudder as she heard herself say that horrid word._

_'I'll make you beg for mercy, Malfoy. I'll make you scream and writhe and yell like you never knew anyone could. I'll make you sorry.' She said, turning and walking down the hall, licking her fingertips._

_'Stop this--Hermione.' He said. She turned around and laughed. Her laughter was bouncing off the bare, stone walls._

_Hermione was shaking with laughter, her laughter piercing through her heart, as if she was supposed to be laughing at Draco's hurt body.

* * *

_

Suddenly, Hermione realized that she wasn't shaking; someone was shaking her. With almost a deathly jolt, Hermione's eyes opened, Ginny and Madison jumped back quickly, and she sat up gingerly.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Ginny asked the girl, when she burst into tears.

"I hurt him!" She yelled, recoiling away from Ginny.

"Leave me alone! I might kill you too!" She yelled, running quickly down the dormitory steps. Harry, who had heard Hermione even at two a.m., had gotten up to see what was wrong. She ran full blast into Harry, who fell over.

Hermione looked terrified. Her curly hair was frazzled and her small chocolate eyes were looking around frantically.

"Hermione?" It was then, Hermione realized, that she had been on top of Harry, and jumped up, running from the Common Room.

* * *

"Hermione!" He yelled, as Ginny and Madison came down the stairs. Harry, Ginny, and Madison set out for a walk around the school to find Hermione. 

"Let's split up and meet here in ten minutes. Hopefully by then, we would have found her." Madison said, and they split up; Harry to the dungeons, Madison to the Great Hall, and Ginny towards Dumbledore's office.

Ginny was turning the corner to get to Dumbledore's office, when she crashed and fell.

* * *

"Oww…" She heard someone mutter. 

"Lumos," She said and held her bright wand tip up to the face of an annoyed Blaise Zabini.

"What the hell are you doing up, Blaise?" She asked, standing up and brushing herself off.

"Walking," He scowled at her.

"Don't give me that! Have you seen Hermione?"

"You lost Hermione?" Blaise practically shrieked.

"No! She ran out on us! Why would we be up with her anyway?"

"And what's up with you and her? She came in the Common Room saying something about _' I hate Draco, so I have to hate Blaise and Pansy too.'_ What the hell was that about?"

Blaise gave a sigh, and dropped his head. It was then he noticed just was Ginny was wearing; A silk champagne almost see-through nightgown in bare feet and a matching silk robe. He tried not to look, but it looked great on her. And he _just_ had to go insult her. Damn…

"Exactly what she said, Weaselette." Blaise said, pushing past Ginny, to attempt to storm down the corridor. But Ginny caught his wrist and turned him towards her. For a split second, she saw tears and fear in his indigo eyes, but they turned into a glare.

"Can I get back to the dungeons, Weasley? Or is there something you'd like to say?" Ginny slapped him. He looked shocked at first, but then he opened his mouth in anger.

She cut him off. "Look. Why the sudden change of attitude? Because Hermione hates you now? She hated you three months ago! You've only been around her for a month, so what in the bloody shit makes you able to care about her now?"

He grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, his eyes holding guilt and anger, sadness swimming around nervously in his stomach.

"You don't understand, do you Weasley? You don't understand how it feels to have someone look up to you, admire you, and care about where you are at all times? Then have them ripped harshly from underneath you and never be seen again!"

"Whether you see it or not, I care about her! That's why I'm worried, alright!" He stormed off towards the dungeons.

* * *

Hermione knew she shouldn't be here. She was afraid of the dungeons, the smell, the people. 

_'I can't kill anyone. I won't. I don't want to hurt Draco, I want him to be okay. I guess I'll have to stay away from him for now...'_

She squealed when something crossed her path, and bumped right into a knight, making it topple over her, knocking herself unconscious.

* * *

Blaise was upset, not angry. He was upset that Ginny had assumed that he wasn't able to care about Hermione, and he was upset that Hermione would no longer accept that he cared about her. He blinked the tears away. 

_'Tears? Why am I crying?' _Before he knew it, Blaise was on his knees in the hallway. The tears he had blinked away had came back, full force.

_'I can't cry...I'm a Slytherin...'_ Blaise's vision lingered on a knocked over knight in the hallway. He moved towards it and stood it back upright, noticing something or someone underneath it. It was Hermione. She was pale and her caramel curls were plastered to the side of her sweat drenched face.

* * *

Blaise took off towards the Hospital Wing, not caring if he was caught. Filch _had_ caught him, but Blaise ran stark past him. _("Outta my way, stubborn squib!")_ Filch was shocked, but Blaise kept running, until he was in the familiar position on his knees in front of the Hospital Wing. 

"Oh dear! Mister Zabini, how many times are you going to be in the infirmary today?" Madam Pomfrey scolded as she helped Blaise into the Wing and he set Hermione down on a bed.

"What happened?"

"I was coming back from Dumbledore's office to the Common Room when I found her unconscious underneath a knight in the hallway. Maybe she ran into it." Blaise said, watching the nurse fuss over her and finally, give her a Painless Potion.

"Is she going to be okay?" Blaise asked.

* * *

"Zabini?" A voice said. It was Draco. Blaise stood up and walked over to his bed. 

"Draco, mate, are you all right?" Draco smirked.

"So it was a dream." Draco said aloud.

"What was a dream?"

"I dreamt that the mudblood was up here with you and Pansy and she was five and..." Blaise stopped him.

"Draco, that was no dream." Blaise said angrily.

"So then what in the _bloody hell_ is going on? And what makes you think _I_ have to apologize to _her_?" Draco demanded. Blaise gave a sigh.

"Nothing, I'm not myself today, Draco. Don't mind me. I'll see you tomorrow, before breakfast." And Blaise left the Hospital Wing. He ran into Harry before he made it to the dungeons.

* * *

"_God_! Weasley, now Potter! What the _hell_ do you want, Potter?" Blaise lashed out. 

"Zabini! We're looking for Hermione. You see 'er?"

"No." And Blaise left Harry standing confused.

Blaise continued and came before the portrait of Salazar Slytherin.

"Fuck you." He said, entering the Common Room. He decided to camp it out on the couch. Taking a silk Slytherin blanket, he brought it over his head and fell asleep, his thoughts filled with the angel he was so attached to, unaware of the tears on his face.

* * *

Harry, Madison, and Ginny all came back empty handed. 

"You know what? If we had a map of Hermione's favorite places, or we at least knew…"

"Ginny! You're brilliant!" Harry said, hugging the Weasley girl.

"Harry, I know I'm brilliant, but what did I do?" She was following Harry and Madison, who Harry had grabbed in excitement and ran towards the Common Room.

* * *

Entering the room, Harry let go of Madison and ran up the stairs. 

Ginny and Madison were trying to guess Harry's idea. When he came back he had the Marauder's Map in his hands.

Ginny smacked a hand to her forehead.

"How could I forget?" Harry said, opening it up.

"She's in the Hospital Wing!" Ginny said, pointing to Hermione's banner. Madison, decided that she needed sleep, left.

* * *

Arriving at the Hospital Wing, they saw Hermione sleeping. 

"Madam Pomfrey, how did she get here?" Harry asked the elderly witch.

"Why, didn't he tell you? Young Mister Zabini found her and dropped her off." Harry's hands were tight.

"Thanks. Gin, _let's go_."

Harry didn't have a good sleep that night. He was worried about why Zabini had lied to him.

* * *

Early that morning, Harry had gone to see Hermione. 

"Harry." Hermione said, sitting up in the bed.

"Hermione, what's going on? What's wrong?" At the mention of a problem, Hermione began to cry.

"I can't! I won't hurt him!" Hermione said.

"Hermione, are you okay?"

"Just leave me be, a while. Harry, just leave me alone." She pleaded. Harry nodded.

* * *

Out in the hall, Blaise was walking towards the Hospital Wing when he was shoved against the wall and met with hot green eyes. 

"What the _hell_ is your problem, Zabini?" Harry yelled, keeping Blaise against the wall by his collar.

"What do you mean, Potter?"

"You said you didn't know where Hermione was, and Madam Pomfrey said you brought her up there!"

"Look Potter…" Blaise drawled. "Is it now _my_ job to mark down every place I take the little girl? I brought her to the _Hospital Wing_, it's not like I chucked her out _the window _or something. She's _alive_, Potter, so don't get your knickers in a twist. _Now_, I am off to see Draco." And Blaise freed himself from Harry's grip and walked towards the Wing.

* * *

Harry stormed into the Great Hall, and began filling his plate like he was launching a catapult. 

"Harry, what's up?" Ron asked, when Harry practically shoved the bacon into his mouth like he was trying to choke himself.

"Zabini knew. I asked him where Hermione was last night, and he said he didn't know. Damn bastard."

"I _told_ you, mate, they're _all_ evil." Ron said, through a mouthful of sausage.

"I just _wish_ Hermione didn't need them so damn much." Harry said.

What he said was partly true. Hermione did need them. But, Blaise's teary face at night, and calm but nerve wrecked demeanor during the day proved something else; that they needed Hermione too and probably more than she needed them.

* * *

Krysta's Notes: I seriously apologize, for making Blaise a jerk. I really do. And apologize for making Harry hate him. But next chapter has some BlaiseGinny in it.

* * *

Helping Her's Crystal Ball: 

_"Well-- I was wondering-- you know-- if you don't have anyone to go with-- I mean-- I have a costume and-- if you really want to--"_

_"Weasley? Are you asking me to the Halloween Ball?"_

_  
"Maybe..." Ginny blushed red._

_"I think it's sweet. And maybe I'll go with you." Blaise said softly. He leaned over and kissed Ginny softly on the lips. Ginny's eyes were wide with surprise as she watched Blaise walk down the hall._

_'That was wonderful! But he shouldn't have done that I might end up catching him in the halls and shagging him.' Ginny thought as she made her way to Charms. How she was going to pass this exam was beyond her, she'd probably end up writing Blaise's name all over the test, even where her name was supposed to go._

_She got lucky, she got as far as 'Ginny' and then wrote 'Zabini'. She magically erased it before the Professor came over.

* * *

_

Read and Review please! My decision is that Hermione should be back to normal either a few days before Christmas or in the Spring. So, I don't know which one, what do you think?


	10. Sugar High and My Date to the Ball Is

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But him being the cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Krysta's Notes: Sorry for this, I really planned for them to have a day at the lake but Draco ended up losing his memory, so I'm gonna have to play with it. And as you saw, Ginny is going to ask Blaise to the Halloween Ball! So, the BlaiseGinny part is being resolved a bit.

* * *

Disclaimer

Krysta ((in front of crowd)) so, this is why I was denied rights to own Harry Potter.

Reporter: I'm suing you! I'm J.K. ((takes off mask))

Krysta: What the hell? Alright! I admit defeat. I don't own Harry Potter. But I do own the plot and this adorable Draco plushie. ((squeezes plushie and it squeaks)) This is as close to the characters as you can get from me...

* * *

Helping Her's Pensieve:

**"Harry, what's up?" Ron asked, when Harry practically shoved the bacon into his mouth like he was trying to choke himself.**

**  
"Zabini knew. I asked him where Hermione was last night, and he said he didn't know. Damn bastard."**

**"I _told_ you, mate, they're _all_ evil." Ron said, through a mouthful of sausage.**

**"I just _wish_ Hermione didn't need them so damn much." Harry said. **

**What he said was partly true. Hermione did need them. But, Blaise's teary face at night, and calm but nerve wrecked demeanor during the day proved something else. That they needed Hermione too. And probably more than she needed them.**

Always thankful to Sabrina!((DarkReader)) my wonderful beta and friend for being so handy in the art of grammar!

Krysta

* * *

Chapter 10: Sugar High and My Date to the Ball

Blaise was on his way out of the Hospital Wing. Walking slowly towards the Great Hall, he opened the doors and sat down at his respective table, knowing that Potter and Weasley were glaring at him, but he felt another set of eyes on him. Dismissing it as everyone was let out, Blaise made his way towards the greenhouses for Herbology.

At lunch, Blaise was finishing up his homework chart for Arithmancy when he felt a gaze on him. Frustrated, he finished his chart with a flourish and left the Hall towards the Slytherin Common Room.

* * *

Harry and Ron had gone to see Hermione after Divination. ((So, Blaise's aforementioned Arithmancy homework, was due the same time as Harry and Ron had Divination))

Walking up the stairs to the fourth floor, they opened the doors to see Hermione helping Madam Pomfrey sort out things on a cart.

"Hermione!" Harry said. The girl turned around and smiled, giving Harry and Ron a hug.

"What were you doing?"

"I was helping the nurse put the potions on the cart!" She told them, sitting on her bed, which was made up neatly.

"I'm allowed to leave, now Harry." She said, telling the nurse goodbye afterwards.

"Come on, we have a free period, let's find Ginny." Harry said, taking Hermione by the hand and leading her from the Infirmary.

* * *

They walked out onto the grounds after Hermione put on a Gryffindor t-shirt and jeans. Ginny was sitting in the middle of the field, doing her homework. Hermione ran towards her and flipped over her head.

"Hi Ginny!" Hermione said chirpily, as Ginny launched about five good inches off the ground.

"Hermione!" She gasped, out of breath.

"Don't do that!" Harry and Ron laughed at Ginny, whose face was flushed.

"Sorry!" Hermione said, sitting down next to Ginny, who was picking up her books and such. Dean and Seamus came outside and began chatting with Harry and Ron about Quidditch, so Ginny and Hermione walked away from them.

"Let's play tag...You're it!" Hermione said, running away from Ginny.

* * *

"Hermione! No fair!" Ginny said, placing a featherweight charm on her bag and running after Hermione. She crashed, yet again, into a very frustrated Blaise Zabini. She jumped up without her bag and sprinted after Hermione. Blaise picked up the bag, noting the charm on it, and slung it over his shoulder.

"Tag!" Ginny said, out of breath. She and Hermione had been playing tag for fifteen minutes, running away from each other. Hermione collapsed on her bum and Ginny slid down next to her. They were in the middle of the hallway.

"Okay, Ginny, you got me." Hermione stood up.

"We gotta go."

"Oh no! I must have dropped my bag when I ran into Zabini!" Ginny said, running off again. Hermione followed her, but Ginny wasn't paying any attention to the little girl, she was walking back outside, where Blaise stood with her bag. Hermione hid behind a bush to watch them.

* * *

"Thanks." She said, taking the bag from him.

"Welcome. What were you doing anyway?"

"Playing tag with Hermione." A downcast look came over his face.

"It'll be back to normal soon." She assured him awkwardly.

"Hope so."

"I'm sorry for last night. I was feeling a little angry." Blaise admitted.

"S'okay. I didn't have to slap you, though." She smiled.

"Did you hear about the ball?" Blaise smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. It's a bore. Not like anyone would go with a Slytherin anyway." Ginny blushed.

"Well-- I was wondering-- you know-- if you don't have_ anyone _to go with-- I mean-- I have a _costume_ and-- if you really want to--"

"Weasley? Are you asking _me_ to the Halloween Ball?"

"_Maybe_..." Ginny blushed red.

"I think it's sweet. And _maybe_ I'll go with you." Blaise said softly. He leaned over and kissed Ginny softly on the lips. Ginny's eyes were wide with surprise as she watched Blaise walk up the hill. Hermione smiled from behind the bush. She began to walk back into Hogwarts, towards the kitchens.

_'That was cute. But I knew Ginny liked him anyway, she always acted that way around him. Besides, she was practically staring him down at breakfast and lunch. It might've made him a little ticked...'

* * *

_

_'That was wonderful! But he shouldn't have done that I might end up catching him in the halls and shagging him.' _Ginny thought as she made her way to Charms. How she was going to pass this exam was beyond her, she'd probably end up writing Blaise's name all over the test, even where her name was supposed to go.

She got lucky; she got as far as _'Ginny'_ and then wrote _'Zabini'_. She magically erased it before the Professor came over.

Hermione tickled the pear on the kitchen door, a tip she had gotten from Professor Dumbledore. The elves were scurrying around, and she sat at the table. Dobby walked up to her.

"Miss Hermione? Staff is saying you is little, but you is really little!"

"Hello!" She said, waving to Dobby.

"I is Dobby. What do you need, Miss Hermione?"

"Can I have some chocolate chip and some sugar cookies?" Dobby nodded.

"Okay, Miss Hermione. I be right back." Hermione swung her feet from the kitchen table, tapped her fingers patiently for Dobby to come back.

"Here you are, Miss Hermione." Dobby said, handing her two freezer bags full of cookies. One bag was chocolate and the other was sugar.

"Ooh! Thank you, Dobby!" She said, hugging the elf and returning to the Gryffindor Common Room.

In the Common Room, Hermione sat on the couch, eating the bag of chocolate cookies first and then the sugar cookies. When the boys and Ginny came back inside, Hermione was jumping around on the couches and chairs.

* * *

"Hermione!" Harry said, grabbing the girl and setting her on the floor.

"What's wrong with you?" Ron asked, but Ginny seemed to know.

"Are you two that blind?" Ginny asked the two who were trying to calm Hermione down.

"Yes, then tell us, genius!" Ron said, dodging Hermione's arms, which were swinging around in an attempt to free herself. She smacked Harry's glasses off, and managed to knee Ron in his groin. He moaned in pain.

She jumped around.

"She's sugar high!" They looked at her crazily.

"Hermione!" She stopped and skipped over to Ginny.

"What did you eat today?"

"I ate some eggs, some bacon, an orange, a banana, a sandwich, some vanilla pudding, a bag of chocolate cookies, and a bag of sugar cookies!" She said, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Sugar high is when you have so much sugar in your system that it speeds you up, so it'll wear off if she keeps running around."

"But we have Quidditch practice!" Harry complained.

"And Hermione is five!" Ginny whined right back. "She needs to be taken care of."

"Let her run around the pitch. The bludgers don't fly that low." Harry said.

"Fine, but you're in trouble if she gets hurt."

"Why can't you watch her?" Ron asked his sister.

"I have class. A dangerous class that Hermione can't be in because we're learning dangerous stuff."

"Oh." Harry said, taking Hermione's hand and telling her that they were going to the Quidditch Pitch. She ran off, and Harry and Ron followed, while Ginny went to History of Magic.

* * *

_'They are too easy!'_ Ginny thought. _'I already had Charms, Transfiguration, and DADA. Potions isn't dangerous, neither is Arithmancy!'_

They started, and at first, Hermione took to running through the stands. But when the practice really kicked off, Hermione flew onto the field and began running around in circles and also unknowingly dodging the bludgers at the same time. She was close once, and Harry swooped down to grab her and dropped her on the stands.

"Stay put." By then, she had calmed herself down, and watched them play.

"Well, it seems we intruded on the Gryffindorks' practice." A voice said. The team touched down to face a crowd of green-robed Slytherins.

* * *

"Get off the field, Malfoy." Harry said, keeping Hermione out of his view. But he saw her.

"I don't think we will, Potter. And are you protecting the itty bitty Mudblood from the big bad Slytherins?" He asked, pointing to Hermione. Harry pulled out his wand, but Hermione was quick. She grabbed it out of his hand and yelled.

"Stupefy!" The Slytherin Team fell back, Draco landing hard on the ground.

"I don't need protecting, Malfoy. Especially from you, creeps." Hermione walked over to him and kicked him in the side.

"But you should have protection from me." Hermione walked towards the castle, tossing Harry's wand back to him.

"She's not sugar high anymore." He said to himself, as the team broke off the practice.

* * *

In the Common Room, Dean and Ginny seemed to be arguing.

"But I like you Ginny! How could you go with him?"

"Because, Dean, I like him, alright! I can go to the ball with whomever I want. And you have no say in this!"

"What about Ron? Won't he be mad?"

"Well, then let him be! Because I'm going with him whether you like it or not!" And Ginny stormed up the stairs. Hermione followed her up.

* * *

"Going with Blaise?" She asked.

"How'd you know?"

"You've been staring at him all morning, and at lunch. He got a little pissed, though." Hermione said, sitting next to Ginny.

"How do I tell Ron?" Ginny asked her.

"Just, tell him. Say 'Ron, I'm going to the ball with Blaise Zabini.' Mind you, not on the top of a hill, but somewhere near pillows." Hermione suggested.

"You're right." Ginny walked back down the stairs.

* * *

"Ginny? You're going with--" Ron couldn't even finished his sentence. Dean had just told him.

"Yes! Alright, yes! My date to the Ball is Blaise Zabini!" She yelled, and everyone was quiet.

"Now, leave me the hell alone!" And everyone left her alone.

* * *

Krysta's Notes: Next Chapter, holds some reconciliation with Pansy and Hermione, but not Blaise yet... Sorry!

Helping Her's Crystal Ball:

_Hermione hugged her. _

_"Pansy, I'm sorry. I just thought it'd be easy if things were normal for Draco to get his memory back."_

_"He's not gonna get it back that way, thinking that he still hates you. He needs to see that one time he did have a fun time with you, and that he did care."_

_  
"And nothing is normal if you make it that way." Pansy told her._

_"I'm not ready to go back to Blaise, yet. I'm still a little off about that." Hermione told her._

_  
"That's alright, but in the meantime, let's have some fun!"_

Please review! Oh, and read my stories, the summaries are as follows.

* * *

Under the penname l-Lady Karyn-ll-Lady Krysta-l

Dreamer Boy: DHrAU Draco's having dreams about a girl with fangs, Hermione's having dreams about a human, and Harry's having dreams about Hell. What is going on?

Letters to Malfoy: BHr A letter system puts together the writings of one Mister the-Boy-Who-Lived Harry Potter and one Mister Sexy Slytherin Draco Malfoy. Be careful when reading the letters to Malfoy! Rated PG-13-M for mouth. Not SLASH!

Some good stories...

Brown Eyes, Gray Eyes by dragon eyes3

Somnio Eternus by finally-defeated

Harry Potter PARODY by Rottenkittenstastelikebras

Also, a story I plan on posted sometime later, here's the summary.

BHrAU Some things are meant to be kept a secret. When various killings outbreak throughout the school, Blaise and Hermione run into the comfort of each other's arms. But this isn't enough to shield them from the secrets that are revealed beneath the Hogwarts Grounds. _'Ancient texts, hints to the puzzle unfold from what lies beneath...'_


	11. Delicious Kisses, Presents, and a Not

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But him being the cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Krysta's Notes: This is the thank you chapter, and they are at the beginning. Not many notes, but expect a few new stories to come out soon.

* * *

Chapter 5: Alenor, prin69, PrincessAngelz, pinkstar146, imfeelingthis182, Angel Moon Princess. 

Chapter 6: pinkstar146, nosie, PrincessAngelz, fierysoulgirl, luckycharms129, DarkReader, Angel Moon Princess, CoPpErFyRmAgE, prin69.

Chapter 7: Kandygurl4, Anigen, Hazelocean, nosie, PrincessAngelz, RaveNClaWGeniuS, l-Lady Karyn-ll-Lady Krysta-l, CoPpErFyRmAgE, Angel Moon Princess, prin69.

Chapter 8: RaveNClaWGeniuS, PrincessAngelz, the squirrels r after me, Kgmck-117, CoPpErFyRmAgE, Angel Moon Princess, Sweet Summer Sun31 ((yes, it is foreshadowing.)), prin69, Then Kat Said.

Chapter 9: stackles, FireDoll22, CoPpErFyRmAgE, Kgmck-117, LivingImpared ((you spelled impaired wrong, lol just jokin, I read your pro.)), prin69.

Chapter 10: coolkidd, Kgmck-117, PrincessAngelz, twitchy-tennisplayer, stackles, XxDarkFirexX, CoPpErFyRmAgE, Mika, prin69, the squirrels r after me, Sam, roses in bloom, Katelyn ((I loved it, too)).

* * *

A Few Explanations... 

Hermione is going to be little for a while, but I can't make it for Halloween, even though I wanted her to wear her costume, so the Ball is going to be cancelled in the chapter, so the Spring Fling will be a costume masquerade. Hermione will probably turn back a few days before her ((my)) birthday, April 11th, so Draco can get her a present and such, and the Spring Fling is at the End of April.

So, I say that's perfect. I'm so glad, I got like 13 reviews last chapter, I wanna cry! So, this is going to probably be unusually long for this story, and very descriptive. Last chapter Crystal Ball says Pansy and Hermione are going to patch up, because Draco needs a friend, and Blaise has been a little hooked up with him mistreating Hermione. Don't worry, I promise next chapter, Draco will be normal.

I realize since Hermione's been little, almost every two chapter's has a Hogsmeade trip so this one is too.

But, I've learned, that when someone has amnesia, they need something traumatic to happen to someone they care about to remember properly. So, it's obviously Hermione, but what should happen? Give me some ideas... Well, here's the pensieve...

* * *

Helping Her's Pensieve... 

**"Going with Blaise?" She asked. **

**"How'd you know?"**

**"You've been staring at him all morning, and at lunch. He got a little pissed, though." Hermione said, sitting next to Ginny.**

**"How do I tell Ron?" Ginny asked her.**

**"Just, tell him. Say 'Ron, I'm going to the ball with Blaise Zabini.' Mind you, not on the top of a hill, but somewhere near pillows." Hermione suggested.**

**"You're right." Ginny walked back down the stairs.**

**"Ginny? You're going with--" Ron couldn't even finished his sentence. Dean had just told him. **

**"Yes! Alright, yes! My date to the Ball is Blaise Zabini!" She yelled, and everyone was quiet.**

**"Now, leave me the hell alone!" And everyone left her alone.

* * *

**

Thankies to Sabrina ((DarkReader)) for betaing! 

Krysta.

* * *

Chapter 11: Delicious Kisses, Presents, and a Not So Happy Reunion... 

**Warning**: Lots of delicious BlaiseGinny moments, and BlaisePansyGinny humor. This chapter is Eight and 1/4 pages long! Be happy with it, now! Lol...

Hermione laughed.

"Ginny, I think you need some air." Hermione said, settling down in the empty common room. A ball of tumbleweed passed through. Okay...

"Yes, air, great, Hermione, bye!" Ginny was gone, and Hermione was confused, Sighing, Hermione walked out of the Common Room, and up to the Owlery, to send off a letter, an apology letter, to someone in particular.

* * *

"Air, walls, torches, great, walking, fun, ball, Blaise!" Ginny said, crashing into the Slytherin. 

"You seem to have a radar on me, Ginny." He said laughing, pulling the 'utterly disoriented' girl up from the floor.

"So, do your housemates know that we're going to the ball together?"

"Yeah. They don't care." Blaise hands were in his pockets.

"Professor Dumbledore set another Hogsmeade Trip today." Ginny told him.

"I've got a date, already." Blaise told her. She looked a little downcast.

"Lessee, Ginger, Golly, Ginny!" She smiled and smacked him, for scaring her.

"That wasn't funny..." She said. They ended up in front of the Grounds.

"So, why aren't you in the Common Room?" Blaise asked her. Ginny rubbed her temples. 

"Stupid Dean, he asked me to the ball, and I told him that I was going with you, and I told him..." Ginny blushed.

* * *

_"But I like you Ginny! How could you go with him?"_

_"Because, Dean, I like him, alright!"

* * *

_

He stopped. 

"You told him what?"

"That, I didn't like him!" She quickly lied. Blaise chuckled, but she was a little nervous if he could tell that she wasn't telling the truth.

"Well, I ended up screaming at the whole entirety of the Gryffindor Common Room, that I was going to the Ball with you and to leave me alone. So, naturally everyone left. Except Hermione." Ginny knew talking about Hermione would be a soft thing for Blaise, but he was sure that she'd be back to normal.

He was quiet. _'Oh no,'_ she thought frantically, _'Maybe I made him angry.'_ She looked up at him, and to her surprise, he reached for her hand, and held it. She felt herself go red.

She must have been still looking at him, because they had stopped and he was shooting her a weird look.

"Oh, sorry." She said, turning her head to him.

"What?" She asked. He smiled.

"You looked so, childish." She pouted, but he was still smiling.

"Come off it, I meant it in a good way." And he leant over, and kissed her. Again. For the second time. He pulled back, his eyes twinkling.

"I like you, Ginny. A lot." She blushed, and looked up at him.

"I like you too, Blaise." And just when she was about to kiss him again...

* * *

"Zabini! Ginny! What in the _bloody hell_ is going on here?" Harry yelled, while marching with Ron over to the two. 

"Get your dirty hands off my sister, you filthy _Slytherin_!" ((Hee hee, Ron just used two words with the same meaning in one sentence. Ha.))

"Ron! Harry! I told you, I liked him, alright!" Ginny yelled at the two, while Blaise just watched.

"Ginny, he's just a bloody Slytherin, who's older than you, might I add! What makes you think you know his intentions?"

Ginny looked unstable. "You know what Ron? I know he's a Slytherin, and I know he's older than me. I may not know if he _really_ means what he says to me, and I may not know if this is _right_. But it's what I want. I don't stop you from pursuing relationships, I just wish you'd stop doing it to me! I like him, and you _can't_ change my opinion!" Ginny said, storming up to the castle. Blaise jogged after her.

"Ginny! Ginny, slow down!" He finally caught her.

* * *

"Ginny..." He turned her around, and before he could even clearly see her, she launched into his arms. 

"Blaise, I'm sorry, it's just really annoying to hear them talk about someone I care about like that... And I meant all of it, Blaise. I really did..." He put two fingers underneath her chin, and tilted her head up. His fingers were laced in her thick red locks as he looked at her.

"Ginny, I know you meant it. I do care about you, though. I really do." And everything else was blown out the window, as he kissed her. Ginny's heart was soaring. All the other kisses she had ever experienced had flown out the window. It was soft and sweet. She could practically feel what Blaise was feeling, and she felt so happy with it.

Pulling away from the kiss, Ginny's arms returned around him, and he held her, in the middle of the hallway.

* * *

Hermione was on the windowsill, writing on a piece of parchment. 

_Meet me in the Owlery. I need to talk to you._

_-Hermione._

She sent it off with the sleek black owl Harry said was hers, named Rex.

Sitting and waiting, Hermione chewed on her lip as she heard people walk past the Owlery, till one in particular walked in. The doors were practically flung open as someone entered frantically.

"Hermione?" Pansy asked, not believing that the girl had spoken to her.

Hermione hugged her.

"Pansy, I'm sorry. I just thought it'd be easy if things were normal for Draco to get his memory back."

"He's not gonna get it back that way, thinking that he still hates you. He needs to see that one time he did have a fun time with you, and that he did care."

"And nothing is normal if you make it that way." Pansy told her.

"I'm not ready to go back to Blaise, yet. I'm still a little off about that." Hermione told her.

"That's alright, but in the meantime, let's have some fun!" Pansy took her hand, and rushed off.

* * *

They were walking towards the carriages when they saw Ginny and Blaise in the middle of the hallway. Pansy told Hermione to go on ahead, while she talked to them. 

"Break it up! Stop plotting here, you two. Let me in on the secret." Pansy said, slinging her arms around the both of them.

Ginny laughed at the Slytherin girl.

"What? You think my attempts at a peaceful conversation are pitiful? Because, I heard some Gryffindors and a Slytherin got into a little spat today..." Pansy knew of course.

Blaise glared.

"Alright! I'll leave you lovers alone, then. Oh Blaise! I have to steal you, we have to get Draco a present."

"Why?" Blaise asked. SMACK! SMACK!

"Ow..." He moaned. Ginny and Pansy had just smacked him in the head.

"Major migraine..."

"Why wouldn't you get a friend a present?" Ginny scolded.

"You should be saying, 'Pansy! Why didn't we get Draco a present already!' Not, that!"

"But I'd still get slapped." Blaise told her.

"Exactly!" Ginny informed him.

"Ah, everything's going according to plan. Blaise is still clueless in the art of gift-giving, and he has someone to help him..."

"Test!" Pansy called. Ginny nodded.

"Blaise, what are you getting me for Halloween..." She asked him sweetly.

"A present?" Ginny smacked him and laughed.

"No! Nothing!" She said, giggling at him.

"I'm filing for abuse." Blaise complained.

"I'm filing for murder..." Ginny told him, and he shut up.

* * *

The Hogsmeade Trip was beautiful. Blaise hadn't got himself smacked for a whole three hours, till he said that 'Baby blue was definitely **not** Pansy's color.' and got a nasty kick to the shin. They had gotten Draco a book to read about the Ireland team, and their seeker. Pansy had included some sweets from Honeydukes in the packages, such as lollipops, Sherbet Balls, Bernie Botts' Every Flavored Beans, and some chocolate milk duds. They wrapped it in green and silver, and sent it up to the Hospital Wing through an owl. 

Pansy departed, saying she was going to see if Draco liked his present, leaving Blaise and Ginny alone.

Blaise and Ginny were on their way to Dinner, when they heard a scream, followed by footsteps.

* * *

They turned a corner, to see Pansy running towards them. 

"Guys, it's Hermione. She's had a Hospital Wing accident. She was in the Wing with Madam Pomfrey and--" Another scream interrupted them.

"Just, come on!" She said, rushing off to the Hospital Wing, where a deadly sight awaited them. Blaise was nervous to see what had happened, as Ginny seemed a little nerve wrecked muttering to herself.

"Ginny, it'll be alright. I'm sure Hermione is...oh." They had gotten to the Hospital Wing, to see a distressed lookin Pomfrey.

"She won't wake up." Were the only words she said, as she let them in.

* * *

**Krysta's Notes**: Just in case you were wondering, the other stories are on another penname. l-Lady Karyn-ll-Lady Krysta-l. Draco will be normal in the next chappy! YaY! 

Helping Her's Crystal Ball

"_Hermione..." Draco sighed in a distressed manner._

"_It's okay, Draco. She's fine. It's going to be alright." Blaise assured his friend, who was leaning at her bedside._

"_No, it was my fault, and she doesn't even know that I'm back to normal... Blaise, what about all the horrible thing I said to her?"_

_"It's really okay, Draco." Ginny said. "She'll forgive you, as long as your normal again." _

"But, I called her so many bad names, I don't even know how I could make it up to her."

"_Really, Draco. It's going to--" Draco cut Pansy off._

"_No. I don't even think I should be near her right now." Draco said, leaving the Hospital Wing. Everyone was soundless for a moment, until a feeble voice spoke._

"_Draco..." Hermione said softly, sitting herself up._

**Elections**:

Again, what should the scene of Hermione in the Hospital Wing be?

Either,

A. Hermione tries to retrieve Draco's package's, but falls out the window. She's rescued, but falls unconscious.

B. Hermione has knocked over the potions cart and gotten injected with a needle full of poison. If so, she'll be normal after a few minutes of antidote.

C. Hermione is mixing two potions together, as instructed by Madam Pomfrey, but she adds a wee bit too much, and is knocked unconscious.

or

D. You make up one!

Reviewer of the Update: CoPpErFyRmAgE ((Thanks for the four more reviews, thingie campaign you put on! It made me happy...))

Still, some more advertisements.

Dreamer Boy: DHrAU Draco's having dreams about a girl with fangs, Hermione's having dreams about a human, and Harry's having dreams about Hell. What is going on?

Letters to Malfoy: BHr A letter system puts together the writings of one Mister the-Boy-Who-Lived Harry Potter and one Mister Sexy Slytherin Draco Malfoy. Be careful when reading the letters to Malfoy! Rated PG-13-M for mouth. Not SLASH!

Some good stories...

Brown Eyes, Gray Eyes- by dragon eyes3

Somnio Eternus- by finally-defeated

Harry Potter PARODY- by Rottenkittenstastelikebras

Also, a story I plan on posted sometime later, here's the summary.

BHrAU Some things are meant to be kept a secret. When various killings outbreak throughout the school, Blaise and Hermione run into the comfort of each other's arms. But this isn't enough to shield them from the secrets that are revealed beneath the Hogwarts Grounds. _'Ancient texts, hints to the puzzle unfold from what lies beneath...'_

See you soon!

Love,

XxCrystallinExXxWaYxXxMikeYxXxBlakExX


	12. Hermione's Accidents, Draco's Apologies,

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But him being the cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Krysta's Notes: Hm... Well, for all you HHr lovers, I started a new story called 'Girl Help' and for you BHr lovers, Emotions is the ficcie for you. And, for the DHr lovers, Draco is normal today! And a bit out of character, or maybe a whole lot. (smile)

Always thankful for Sabrina, for taking time from homework to edit!

As for the votes, I'm using the least voted one. And two people's D's. I'd like to say thank you to Kgmck-117 and CoPpErFyRmAgE for giving me a D and some extra comments on it, I'm using them both! I'll tell you when. A lot of you voted A, and I'm a bit weirded that you want Hermione to fall out a window...

And for this chapter, I want to reach 100 reviews, so please review! I won't update Chapter 13 if I don't get at least up to 99 or 100! If I get more, great then! I love you guys!

_Helping Her's Pensieve: _

_They turned a corner, to see Pansy running towards them. _

"_Guys, it's Hermione. She's had a Hospital Wing accident. She was in the Wing with Madam Pomfrey and--" Another scream interrupted them._

"_Just, come on!" She said, rushing off to the Hospital Wing, where a deadly sight awaited them. Blaise was nervous to see what had happened, as Ginny seemed a little nerve wrecked, occasionally muttering to herself._

"_Ginny, it'll be alright. I'm sure Hermione is...oh." They had gotten to the Hospital Wing, to see a distressed looking Pomfrey._

"_She won't wake up." Were the only words she said, as she let them in._

Chapter 12: Hermione's Accident, Draco's Apologies, and the Looking Down of Shirts

Warning: Draco is OoC. Draco and Hermione are going to be spending a day together, so beware of the fluff! And, sadly, a bit less BlaiseGinny moments, but we've got to start working on RonPansy!

Ten Minutes Earlier...

Hermione was seated in front of the Potions cart, sorting different potions. Madam Pomfrey came in to check up on her, and she set down a tray she had finished with a snake bite patient.

Draco glared at the little girl. He couldn't stand just the sight of her. Why all his friend thought she was an angel was beyond him. He smiled. Grabbing the cane beside his bed, he shoved it at the bed next to the cart.

Hermione looked up as the cart shook violently, before various objects toppled over onto her. She screamed loudly. Draco's laughter was present throughout the air. She shielded herself with her arms. Draco was still laughing. She was going to cry if he didn't return to normal. She missed him. And he had pushed the cart over, spilling who knows what onto her. He really did want her hurt.

"Well then.." She whispered bitterly, picking up a syringe filled with poison. "I'll toss you a helping hand, Draco. If it's want you want..." She stabbed the syringe into her skin, shocked at the feel of the poison flowing through her veins. She screamed again, as a searing feeling rushed through her whole body, swallowing her up.

She hoped at least Draco was happy.

Now...

Pansy, Blaise, and Ginny rushed over to Hermione's side, as Draco's laughter subsided. Snickers were still audible.

"This isn't funny, Malfoy. She's really hurt. She could seriously die from this poison dosage." Ginny told him. He snapped. His eyes widened, and he felt a rush of emotion.

"Hermione?" He said softly. Blaise looked at him.

"What? Did you just--"

"Yes. I did. I'm normal again. But Hermione, she... It's my fault. I pushed the cart onto her, and then I don't know how she got a hold of the needle. But, oh god Blaise, I was laughing at her." Draco said, walking over to Hermione's unconscious figure.

"Hermione..." Draco sighed in a distressed manner.

"It's okay, Draco. She's fine. It's going to be alright." Blaise assured his friend, who was leaning at her bedside.

"No, it was my fault, and she doesn't even know that I'm back to normal... Blaise, what about all the horrible things I said to her?"

"It's really okay, Draco." Ginny said. "She'll forgive you, as long as you're normal again."

"But, I called her so many bad names, I don't even know how I could make it up to her."

"Really, Draco. It's going to--" Draco cut Pansy off.

"No. I don't even think I should be near her right now." Draco said, leaving the Hospital Wing. Everyone was soundless for a moment, until a feeble voice spoke.

"Draco..." Hermione said softly, sitting herself up. Everyone instantly was at her side, comforting her, but she wasn't to be comforted.

"Draco..." She wailed into Blaise's shirt. Blaise was shocked. She was actually near him. He put his arms around her, happy that she had come through the little shunning stage she had started up.

"Blaise, how come he left?" She spoke weakly, Blaise still holding her in a hug. It didn't look like he'd ever let go, and it didn't like Hermione ever wanted him to.

Pansy smiled softly. She saw Draco from the hospital wing window as he stormed across the grounds. She touched Hermione's shoulder.

"Hermione, he's by the lake. Go." Pansy said. The five year old smiled a bit, nodded, and took off for the door.

Down by the lake, Draco sighed. He missed her. But how could he face her when he had hurt her so bad? He couldn't bear it, but something deep inside of him spoke.

'Draco, you've been her idol ever since you turned her this way. I bet when she turns back, you'd want to talk to her.'

"Draco.." She said softly, watching as the blonde turned his head. He watched her come up to him and swing her arms around his neck.

He wrapped his arms around her. He missed having her around. Going to classes without the little girl had shocked some of the student population, those that didn't know he had amnesia.

"Hermione, I'm sorry. I really am." He said.

--

Pansy and Ginny stood at the Entrance Hall, watching the scene unfold.

"Isn't it cute?" Pansy said to the redhead.

"Adorable. I think it's really adorable."

"Sick. I think I'm going to be sick." Ron complained. 'Smack!' Ron's head thumped.

"Oww!"

"Always ruining moments, huh Weasley?" Pansy said, turning to him.

"Whatever." He said, sitting down. She bent over, all in his face.

"Look. Don't whatever me, you little sapling. I don't want to hear you complain because you think Hermione doesn't deserve to be taken care of by him. I don't want to hear you moan about it." 'Smack.'

"And that's for looking down my shirt."

Ron blushed. He had found himself preoccupied with the girl's large bust; it was right in his face, how could he not be?

She stalked down the hall, turned, gave him a smile, and left. He rubbed his head. "My brain cells are dying..."

Crys: Okay, I really wanted to finish this, so I left it at that. I promise, the next chapter will be a novel! Unless I hit 100...

**Helping Her's Crystal Ball:**

"**Draco, do you think we'll be like this forever?" Hermione asked him, turning to face him. HE smiled.**

**  
"Of course." But in his mind, he was asking himself that. 'Would Hermione always think of him as Draco? And refuse to call him otherwise?'**

"**Draco, I think that you're lying." She said, looking at him, her small round eyes deepening.**

**  
"I'm not!" He shook his head. But he couldn't even convince himself.**


	13. Love: Fears and Recognitions

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But him being the cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Crys: Sorry for the long wait and no story. I feel bad now. I have to update this before my new schedule kicks in. And 120 reviews is making me excited. Okay, Chapter 13! Blaise time! A little bit of BlaiseHermione time and some BlaiseGinny moments. I am so sorry. I really am. I almost broke down on this story. But, I have to thanks Bridie for this update.

Dedicated to Bridsta05 who persisted into me getting back into writing this story. Kisses!

It'd Be Helpful to

FORGET ALL ABOUT THE PREVIOUS CRYSTAL BALL!

Forget about the ball being cancelled, I have humor in store for that. XD

Forget about April 11th being the day Hermione is normal.

Think that Hermione will be normal in an awkward position and bonding time with Draco.

Forget, basically, about the explanation I gave in Chapter 12.

Helping Her's Pensieve

"_Whatever." He said, sitting down. She bent over, all in his face._

"_Look. Don't whatever me, you little sapling. I don't want to hear you complain because you think Hermione doesn't deserve to be taken care of by him. I don't want to hear you moan about it." 'Smack.'_

"_And that's for looking down my shirt."_

_Ron blushed. He had found himself preoccupied with the girl's large bust; it was right in his face, how could he not be?_

_She stalked down the hall, turned, gave him a smile, and left. He rubbed his head. "My brain cells are dying..."_

Chapter 13: Love: Fears and Recognitions

After coming back up from the lake, Hermione and Draco headed to lunch in the Great Hall. Hermione took her seat beside Blaise and Draco and didn't seem to see Pansy anywhere. She tapped Blaise on the shoulder.

"Have you seen Pansy?" She asked softly, a concerned look on her face. The girl seemed to be in even higher spirits since she and Draco shared a bit of downtime at the lake. She let out a sigh when Blaise shook his head.

"Nope. Not at all. Come to think of it, the last time I saw her was in the Hospital Wing." He said, as Draco lofted into the conversation.

"I don't know where she could be. She never misses anything in the Great Hall." He said sarcastically. Hermione smacked him in the arm with a tiny, balled up fist.

"That's not nice." Hermione scolded, her eyes shining happily as she heard Blaise snicker from beside her.

"Yeah, Draco," The dark haired boy mocked, his hands over his tanned cheeks, "That's not nice. I thought Pansy was your friend." Draco turned to Blaise and gave him a simpering look, before turning back to the simple sandwich he had chosen for his lunch.

--

After lunch, they had Advanced Arithmancy, to which Hermione chose to sit with Blaise and his Arithmancy partner, Terry Boot. The boys sat together in silence, only a few times asking about equations and answers. Hermione sat on one side of Blaise, Terry covering the other, putting the Slytherin in the middle. Hermione seemed content with doodling pictures across a sheet of parchment Blaise had given her and had only turned back once to see Draco working with Theodore Nott, another one of his Slytherin friends. Yet, the question popped up in her mind, 'Where was Pansy?'

She decided to actually ask Blaise something. So, she tapped the black haired boy on the shoulder. He turned to her slightly, as to not abandon his work but to let her know that she had his attention. He didn't need her screaming in the relatively quiet class.

"Are you in love with Ginny?" She asked him, her eyes wide and innocent. Blaise just wanted to gather her into his arms as if she was his own child. He didn't know why, but he supposed it had something to do with the feelings of wanting children. He knew he would love his children for the rest of his life and Hermione had grown into a spot where she was almost one. But, the question still shocked Blaise. Did he love Ginny?

He personally didn't know. He couldn't say he was in love to someone else, but he knew that he felt his heart start when he saw her, his soul clench when he held her, and his emotions explode when he kissed her. He felt an undeniable attraction to Ginny Weasley, loved her, but didn't know if he was in love with her. He thought about it a little. Love was normally. Blaise loved a lot of things. He loved Hermione. It didn't mean he wanted to spend his life with her like he did Ginny, but he loved her. So what made his feelings different?

Blaise knew himself. That was an understatement. It was normally believed that everyone knew themselves, but they really didn't. They didn't know what they wanted or what they needed, which made them unintelligent in the mannerisms of their own body. But Blaise knew himself. He knew there was an uncontrollable feeling in his stomach when he saw Ginny and the urges of violence when others touched her in non-friendly ways. He didn't know what the uncontrollable feeling was, but he knew it was high above anything else he had ever felt.

"I am." He said softly, receiving a glare from his partner. Terry had been working throughout Blaise's thinking and had gotten up to question fifty-seven while Blaise stopped at forty-nine. Blaise picked up his quill and continued, but Hermione had other plans.

"What does it _feel_ like?" He adored the girl. He loved her, he cherished her, he'd do anything for her, but she was just too innocent to realize what she had just asked upon the emotionally confused Slytherin teen. He racked his brain, before deciding what he would say.

"I don't know." At this, Hermione gave him a questioning look. He continued his Arithmancy problems, while talking to her from the side of his mouth. "I can't describe it, and I can't tell you when or who you'll get it for, but you'll know what it is when you take the time to notice that it's there." He said softly to the girl. She smiled at him and asked yet another question.

"How did you know you were in love with Ginny?" Blaise sighed. Turning to her more slightly, he continued his work while answering her.

"I didn't know. I mean, I didn't just realize in my head, 'oh my god, I love Ginny.' It was more like a wall. It built up and up and up until I knew that nothing could get past it but her. That's how I knew. I can't say you'll know when that happens, you could very well have had some nasty meat loaf for lunch." He wrinkled his nose. "But, it's different than mine. It may be something else for you, but I know what it was for me." As the class was dismissed, Hermione waited until the Slytherin stood to wrap her arms around his legs.

"Thanks."

--

After Arithmancy, Blaise's mind wandered. What had cause the sudden reign of questions from the little girl? He knew that she was smart, but was she really perceptive on emotion as a child? His thoughts circled around this for a while longer, until he found himself sitting on the steps out to the Hogwarts Grounds. He remember. This was where he had kissed Ginny. He did love her.

A lapse of memory denied Blaise the feelings of an arm around his shoulders and a head as well.

"Hello." A voice said softly to him, and he knew exactly who it was. And he couldn't have been any happier. Turning to Gunny, who looked quite calm, he planted his lips on hers, and in between the kiss, he said, "I love you, Ginny Weasley."

--

Ginny was surprised. Not shocked, she loved the Slytherin, but surprised at the sudden show of affection. She felt his lips wander to her neck and lay soft butterfly kiss along the pale skin, and they returned to her lips. Finally, out of breath, Ginny pushed him away lightly, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Are you all right, Blaise?" She asked, a smile stretching her slightly swollen lips.

"Yeah. I just love you, is all." Ginny was content, now, her head leaning on his built chest. His arms were around her as well, almost as tight as if he would never see her again. In truth, he didn't want to let her go at all.

"Mmhmm." She sighed.

"I mean it, Ginny. I'm _in love_ with you." She looked up at him with a smile, kissed him, and said, "I'm in love with you too, Blaise," before resting her head on his. They were the perfect couple.

--

Walking with Draco to try and find Pansy, Hermione was thinking about what Blaise had said to her. 'I wonder if Ginny knows that Blaise loves her.' Looking up at the blonde Slytherin beside her, she felt the question seep into her mind. 'Does Draco love anyone?' Dismissing that question from her mind, she heard yelling, and Draco must have too, because he jogged a bit till he reach the end of the hallway and stuck his head out.

Hermione poked her small, brunette head around as well to see Pansy...and Ron. Now that Hermione thought about it, she hadn't spotted his mess of red hair at the Gryffindor Table during lunch. Pansy looked distraught with tears in her eyes and Ron looked sullen, his hands in his hair.

"I don't know what you want me to say!" Ron exclaimed, waiting for her to respond. She looked horribly scared. Not of Ron, of something else that Hermione couldn't exactly place her mind on at the moment.

"_Don't walk away from me, Ron!_" She yelled back. "I'm not just here as a pleasure post; you got involved and I plan on keeping you involved."

"You're a Slytherin! I'm not about to _join_ the epidemic! Ginny, Hermione...I plan on keeping myself Slytherin free!" He told her, crossing his arms across his chest, his ears burning red.

"Then why did you kiss me? Why did you just shag me silly in there?" At that point, Draco slammed his hands over Hermione's ears, incase anything else akin to that came out of Pansy's mouth. Finally, after she was quiet, he removed them.

"I--I don't know." Ron said calmly. "But I can tell you this, I don't think I wanted that to happen." She looked outraged.

"Fine--be that way. You damn Gryffindors...I thought you were brave? Fine, Weasley, I actually--actually _felt_ something for you. Be that way about it. Stupid--stupid." She said to herself, her eyes finally letting go and crying. She felt emotion overcome her as she shooed Ron away in the opposite direction. She slid down to the floor in depression, burying her face in her hands. Draco wanted so badly to comfort her, but knew she need her time.

After a few minutes, Draco walked over to her and sat beside her, enveloping her in a hug. The girl leaned her head on his shoulder, before drying her eyes.

Hermione looked at Pansy, observing her actions. She was sad, but mad while Ron was around. And then, it hit the girl. She knew what Pansy had been scared of. Not of Ron, or anything else...but love.

Specka: Okay, I'm glad I finally got this up. I'll be updating now. Sorry for everything. I really am. Don't hate me. I'll update after a few reviews. I promise it will be right away. I'll change the Crystal Ball into a Preview before the chapter, though. So I don't get confused. This is being made up as I go, so I can't mess up.


	14. Closer to the End of the Beginning

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But him being the cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Crys: I know I don't deserve any reviews, but I appreciate the few I got. Again, I'm terribly sorry for everything and I think this story will be over around Chapter 20. I'll let you know ahead of time, though. And please drop a review, even if you yell at me, just drop one, cause I'm feeling lonely. Thanks, though.

**Preview**

**Hermione was walking calmly down the hallway, towards the Gryffindor Tower, when she felt a hand around her mouth. She screamed, but it didn't come out as she struggled against her captor. One of their hands was around her waist, which was threatening to slip because of the kicking she was doing and the other hand was over her mouth, which she was trying to gnaw away.**

**  
"Petrificus Totalus." They recited and she felt her body go numb as she was being carried away, towards the dungeons. It was either between walking down the steps or entering the Potions classroom when Hermione fell unconscious.**

Chapter 14: Closer to the End of a New Beginning

Hermione and Ginny had gone to find Ron and Draco and Blaise had sought out cheering up Pansy for the rest of the day. When Hermione and Ginny found Ron, he was sitting on the couch in the Common Room. Ginny sat next to him and Hermione hopped on Ginny's lap.

"Ron, what's going on?" Ginny asked, her eyes watching her brother with a concerning glance. The redhead slipped his hands through his hair, before sighing.

"Parkinson--Pansy--_she_ thinks we have something. I--we got a little intimate and she thinks I like her! I do, though. I'm just not happy with all of this. I can't, Ginny. I just can't." She gave him a sympathetic look. Hermione looked angry.

"What's wrong with you! You just said you liked her and she most definitely likes you, so I don't know what's wrong!" Ron was gaping like a fish at the five year old in front of him, her hands on her hips. Ginny looked quite impressed with the small brunette's behavior, but was shocked when she grabbed Ron's hand and ran out of the Common Room.

"Where are you going, Hermione?" Ginny asked, keeping up with her. She didn't answer, but looked pleased as Blaise was dragging Pansy down the hall and Draco was off to the side. Blaise and Hermione smiled at each other because of their alike thoughts, and promptly found the nearest broom closet. In turn, they shoved both Ron and Pansy inside, locked it all around, and left with no turning back.

Hermione and Blaise high-fived with a smile and then turned to Draco and Ginny. "Let's find something to do." Hermione suggested. The four returned to the Head Common Room, Hermione skipping alongside Draco while humming a tune and Blaise and Ginny holding hands.

After arriving in, Hermione apparently didn't run out of things. They played a quick game of Exploding Snap, until Hermione, who was seated in Draco's lap, threw her cards down and set the Slytherin's pants on fire. After laughing and trying to smother the fire, they sat.

"God, Hermione. I wonder how we ended up with the same ideas." Blaise asked, a smile on his face. Hermione shrugged.

"It was kinda annoying. I bet you three galleons that they've snogged or done something in there." Hermione said, a grin in place. Blaise shook her hand.

"You're on, small fry. I know Pansy and she'll still be mad at Ron for leaving." Hermione crossed her arms jokingly.

"Well, I know Ron and he's gonna beg her for forgiveness and then snog her senseless." Blaise laughed.

"You've obviously never been around Pansy's bad side."

"I guess only you bring it out, Blaise." Hermione grinned smartly and Blaise made a face at her.

"Yeah, whatever. You bring out everyone's bad side." Offended, Hermione grabbed a few pillows and smacked Blaise over the head with them, feather's flying out.

Ginny laughed, until Blaise got her in the face with a few. Ginny leapt, aiming a pillow at Blaise, who deflected it and it landed on Draco. The Slytherin launched his pillow and it hit Hermione, who squealed loudly, accidentally kicking Ginny, who fell onto Blaise. Blaise grabbed Hermione's ankle in an attempt not to go down, and Hermione squealed again, jumping, while kicking Blaise in the cheek with her socked foot and grabbing Draco, as they all fell down, laughing.

Attempting to get up, Blaise got up first and grabbed Hermione around the waist, allowing Draco to get off of Ginny. They all smiled, before Hermione whacked Blaise with a pillow again and the two were into their own fight. Ginny watched with Draco as they rolled around.

"Ginny, do you love Blaise?" The girl looked slightly questioning, wondering why he was asking, but she answered.

"Yeah. A lot more than I thought I could love someone, but I do." She said. "Why?" Draco shrugged absently, looking out of the window.

"Just wondering. Blaise always talks about you." He added. Ginny smiled at the blonde.

"Yeah, I do my fair share of talking. It happens. I get so involved and so caught up with him that I do. It's habitual. That's how I realized it." The blonde smiled.

"You're not half-bad." He said, as Blaise and Hermione quit rolling around. She stood with a smile.

"It took you a while and a few confessions to realize this?" The girl asked, before walking over to help Blaise and Hermione up. Hermione jumped up happily and ran over to Draco.

"Come on, we've got to see what Ron and Pansy are up to!" The girl ran out of the portrait, ahead of everyone else. She walked down the hall and up the stairs, because the broom cupboard had been near the Gryffindor Common Room. Nearing the top, she wished she had stayed with everyone else. It was dark and shadows flickered across the normally lit walls. She had to stop worrying about everything. Stopping to catch her breath, she tried to regulate herself.

Hermione was walking calmly down the hallway, towards the Gryffindor Tower, when she felt a hand around her mouth. She screamed, but it didn't come out as she struggled against her captor. One of their hands was around her waist, which was threatening to slip because of the kicking she was doing and the other hand was over her mouth, which she was trying to gnaw away.

"Petrificus Totalus." They recited and she felt her body go numb as she was being carried away, towards the dungeons. It was either between walking down the steps or entering the Potions classroom when Hermione fell unconscious.

--

Voices. She distinctly heard voices arguing.

"It's going to work. It had to be done sooner or later, we can't have the likes of her and _him_ together in our Common Room."

"Like I agree! It's disturbing--a mudblood and a pureblood. I'm sure the teachers love it. Not trying to fix a damned thing."

"Okay, not as far as that, but I do agree the teachers had no effort in it."

"I'm positive it's going to work. And when it happens, it will be the fall out of the century."

Chapter 14: Closer to the End of a New Beginning

Crys: I want to thank those of you who chose to review my story after about seven months. Thanks a lot, it means a ton to me. Just keep reviewing!


	15. Tag, You're It and She Disappeared!

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But him being the cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Crys: Okay, I'm done with mourning. This story will be continuously updated with the schedule and I won't even worry if I get reviews or not. There. And if you review, that means a ton to me. I don't even deserve it, so thanks anyway for dropping a line. Hope you like this chapter and I'll try to be as humorous as possible. And I hope you took the title of that last chapter to mean something.

Chapter 15: Tag, You're It and She Disappeared!

Hermione woke up and looked around. Cauldrons were in placed except for in the last few rows, upon a desk she was laying. The classroom was silent. Slowly and stiffly, she wrinkled her nose at the distaste of unconsciousness gathering in her mouth. Hopping off of the desk that she was laid across, she briefly tried to figure out what had happened to her. She remember being dragged off and...that was it. She didn't feel hurt or look it, so she decided she was perfectly fine. Marching out of the dungeons, she ran into Ron and Pansy, who immediately rushed towards her.

"Everyone said you had run off and they couldn't find you!" Pansy exclaimed, kneeling down to the girl. Hermione grinned and gave her a hug. Pulling back, the dark-haired witch put on a stern face.

"Draco, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Blaise said you ran off to find the two of us and we didn't even cross paths with you! What were you doing in the dungeons?" Ron asked, as he and Pansy sought to find the others. Hermione shrugged, pushing her hair out of her face.

"Like it matters. I'm alive and well, aren't I?" Pansy gave Hermione an apprehensive look.

"What makes you say it like that, Hermione? Normally, you'd be overly concerned about what happened to you!" The Slytherin girl asked, as she turned the corner. Hermione crossed her arms.

"Would you have been asking me this if I ran off to Gryffindor Tower?" It was quiet. "Exactly." She sighed softly. "Look, Pansy, can we just find the others?" Pansy nodded and took Hermione's hand. Finally, arriving in the Heads Common Room, Ginny smiled.

"Hermione!" The redheaded girl ran over and hugged the smaller brunette, joyous. This sent a tidal wave of hugs, from Blaise as well as Draco and Harry. They grinned at her, before she sat down. Everyone was dressed in their school uniforms, Ginny and Pansy the only ones with it all the way on--skirt, white blouse, and shoes. The boys had extracted clothing from the shirt, vest, tie, and pants collection. Harry had his tie off, Ron's vest lay on one of the chairs, Blaise had taken his tie off as well, and Draco had removed the tie and the vest altogether. Hermione was still in her overalls, looking childishly adorable, with the pigtails to match.

"Are you all right, Hermione?" Harry asked, sitting next to the five year old. She looked up at him with a smile.

"Perfect." Hermione answered him, jumping up and down on the couch.

"So, what are we going to do?" Blaise asked, sitting on the floor across from Hermione, who seemed to be full of ideas out of the six of them.

"Let's play another game!' Hermione shouted, springing in her seat excitedly.

"What?" Ginny asked.

Everyone watched Hermione as she got up and skipped over to Draco, tapped him on the nose, skipped over to Ginny, tapped her shoulder, and ran over to Harry and tapped him on the leg. She then ran to the top of the staircase, dragging Pansy, Ron, and Blaise with her. Then, from up there, she exclaimed, "TAG, YOU'RE IT!" A frenzy bolted out. Ginny stood up, but looked utterly confused, Draco ran up the stairs headed straight for the group up there, Harry took the other staircase, Pansy screeched and ran into Hermione's room, and Blaise grinned and dodged Draco on the stairs.

Hermione herself darted between the two boys, ran downstairs, and hid under the couch that everyone had just been on, including herself. Blaise darted into the bathroom and made himself invisible by use of his wand, then cowered behind the shower curtains. Pansy disclosed herself in Hermione's closet, behind some of her older clothing from when she was seventeen. Draco barged into his room to scour it for hiders, only to step on Snuffles. Snuffles yowled loudly, scratching and kicking his way out by means of shredding Draco. So, Draco left the kitten to its peace in his room and looked around the Common Room.

Ginny, still a bit confused and not liking the seeking, walked into the bathroom.

"Who hides in a bathroom?" The redheaded sixth year asked herself, looking around. She misnoted a towel on the floor in front of the tub and slipped on it. She slid all the way over, falling forwards into the tub, onto an invisible Blaise. In shock, as the spell wore off of him, the boy had grabbed in haste for a steadying device, instead grabbing a tap and turning the shower water on. It was quite a compromising situation for Draco to walk in on. Ginny seemed to be steadying herself on Blaise's chest; his vest soaking water and turning a dark grey as the freezing cold water was pounding straight down on Blaise's head and grazing Ginny. Ginny's shirt was permanently see through, and Draco bursting in yelling, "Merlin's bloody marshmellowed crackers, get decent and cover yourself up, Weasley!" wasn't really helping too much. Ron, who had just decided to switch hiding places, entered the bathroom, screaming. Draco tapped Ron's shoulder and Ginny Blaise's in turn, both of them passing the buck, before Ginny soggily limped out of the water with a smile and kiss to Blaise and Draco ran from the room to find a place to hide.

Hermione shrieked loudly when Ron jumped on the couch and she scrambled out, causing Ron to exclaim a stream of curses and run up the balcony in order to find out who was under the couch. Grinning, he jumped clear off of the balcony and seized Hermione. "You're it, small fry!" He said enthusiastically, before the redheaded boy let her go, as she fell onto her bum. He ran off, before Hermione ran off after him. She followed him into her room, as he barreled into the closet. Hermione stood there. No, she hadn't cheated, but heck, she'd known that Pansy was in there. Seconds later, a scream, a slap, and a loud exclamatory which definitely belonged to Ron met her ears as the two clamored out.

"It was an accident!" Ron countered whatever had happened. Pansy scowled. This time, Harry ended up as witness.

"This idiot was feeling around the closet and it so happens that his large manhandling self landed on my boobs!" She exclaimed, crossing her arms over said cleavage.

"And she hit me for it!" Hermione laughed, before tapping Pansy.

"You are it." She said, as Harry tapped Ron and ran out with Hermione in tow.

Draco walked into the bathroom to find his housemate toweling off. "A little wet, Zabini." The blonde smirked and held out his arm so Blaise could step out. Blaise dried himself with his wand, took Draco's arm and then let it go.

"You're it, mate." He said, before running out of the bathroom, Draco letting out a stream of curses, because, "Goddamn this game, I just tagged somebody, slow bastards!" So, he set out to find his next victim. Storming into his room, careful not to step on Snuffles a second time, he checked his closet, before turning to leave. But, he briefly caught a glimpse of a sneakered foot pulling itself from under the bed. So, getting down on his knees and leaning over, Draco pulled up the sheet to see Hermione. The small girl took in a breath and then proceeded to scream loudly. Startled, he fell back, which gave the girl leverage to scramble from out underneath the bed and out of the room. He swore softly, running after her.

Hermione ducked in between the couches and chairs, running up the stairs and down the stairs, everywhere to get away from Draco, who was chasing her. She smiled as she ducked into her room and hid behind the curtains. With a snicker, she watched Draco looked around, before leaving. She grinned and came out from behind the curtain with a slightly mocking yawn.

--

Draco was looking in the bathroom, under the sink cabinet, when someone shrieked loudly from another room, which caused Draco to crash his head against the sink. Muttering, he rubbed his head and left the bathroom. Everyone was gathered in Hermione's room, where Pansy was found, on her knees, her head down. She looked up and tears were in her eyes.

"I--I was looking for someone and I found Hermione behind the c-curtain." Draco scoffed at missing her there. "So, I grabbed her to tell her she was it. She was r-right here in m-my hands and I grabbed her and t-then she d-d-disappeared! Into th-thin air!" Pansy began to cry. Awkwardly, Ron leant over and patted her back in consolation. Draco closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, while Ginny threw herself into Blaise's arms. Harry looked down to the carpet where Hermione had been standing. If only he had felt an inkling of despair for his friend...If only he could.

Chapter 15: Tag, You're It and She Disappeared!

Crys: Yeah, yeah, I know, humor. But, the next chapter you'll deal with the emotions going through the teens at Hermione's disappearance and the chapter after that deals with where Hermione was. Because, she does come back and wasn't in danger. Just trust me on it. Review!


	16. The Confession

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Harry Potter

Summary: Draco Malfoy is always the center of attention, not the attention giver. When he and Ron Weasley accidentally turn Hermione into a five-year-old, Draco will have to give all the attention he has to the small girl.

Crys: This is a vital chapter! This has got to be the shortest update ever, but I promise the next one will be at least decent sized! It's based on the feelings of the characters after Hermione's disappearance. This is 613 words.

Chapter 16: The Confession

Pansy was the most upset out of all of them. Little Hermione had been playing as well as everyone else, runnin around, screaming, and having a good time. Thn, when Pansy had come to close her arms almost playfully around the small, brunette, five-year-old, she disappeared in thin air. It seemed like she apparated, but that was impossible. Pansy could only wonder helplessly where she had gone in front of her face.

Draco was put-off. Sure, he hadn't been there--not like Pansy had, but he missed Hermione as bad as everyone else did. She brightened them up and started the whole game in the first place. He remembered how she had been gone for a few minutes earlier but assumed nothing of it. He felt horrible for Pansy, to just have something so important to you to disappear in front of your eyes. He was kneeling next to Ron and Pansy, clasping and unclasping his hands in his lap.

Ron sat next to Pansy, holding her in his arms gently and rubbing her back. He had been wary to accept Pansy, but until that recent event upon being locked in a closet, he had learned what he wanted and to comfort Pansy in her time of distress. If he had seen Hermione disappear himself, he would be far from consolable and angry as hell. He was upset. Hermione had been his friend for six years, despite their many fights and disagreements.

Ginny was upset as well as everyone else. She stood in Blaise's arms, crying softly. She couldn't believe it. After all of this--after finally getting closer to the smaller Hermione, talking with her, playing games with the small girl and being there throughout the arguments between the five-year-old Gryffindor and the Slytherin Head Boy. She wondered slightly if anything had happened earlier that day to cause her friend's disappearance, but couldn't find anything that could possibly link them.

Blaise leaned against the wall, trying to stay strong for his girlfriend. He knew that Ginny was distraught and surprised by Hermione's sudden leave, but he had been too. If it was left to him, he would be out trying to find out exactly what had happened to his small friend. It seemed just yesterday that they were arguing over Draco, and just in that same day she had announced him "it" during an exciting game of tag that landed him in the shower with his girlfriend. He missed her to death.

Harry felt guilty. Although he was having fun as well as the rest of his friends, he couldn't help but let the gnawing of guilt and sorrow ear his stomach to bits. He knew exactly what happened to his small friend. It was his fault. Exactly how was he supposed to reveal this information to the rest of his friends when they believed him to be closer to Hermione than even Draco himself? Maybe they didn't have to know for a while--what was he thinking? He couldn't stand to refrain from speaking about it, so he stood up.

"I have a confession to make." He said quietly.

Chapter 16: The Confession


	17. The Dolattivone Potion and Expulsion?

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Harry Potter

Summary: Draco Malfoy is always the center of attention, not the attention giver. When he and Ron Weasley accidentally turn Hermione into a five-year-old, Draco will have to give all the attention he has to the small girl.

Crys: Haven't done a review thanks in a long time, so I'll do one now. And I'm sorry if I don't respond to everyone's reviews, I just haven't had the time!

11th Chapter: prin69, piritesslass, Dreamer Kitty, CoPpErFyRmAgE, PrincessAngelz, Kgmck177, sienna, RaveNClaWGeniuS, roses in bloom, Arwen12323, JadedAnna, Bridsta05, Kandygurl4, Draco-Luver1, xoKaSsIeox, punkprincess92.

12th Chapter: RaveNClaWGeniuS, prin69, Dreamer Kitty, Kandygurl4, musicalbballgal, Kgmck177, CoPpErFyRmAgE, Ellie.

13th Chapter: CoPpErFyRmAgE, roses in bloom, piritesslass, CAP.L, Kgmck 177, Arwen12323, SlytherininMind24, Bridsta05, Fair Cruelty, Magicalflame, lightgoddess14.

14th Chapter: neworleansbbgurl, Alenor.

15th Chapter: Marla1, BA de Danone, Mika, Alenor, shewhodanceswithdragons.

16th Chapter: DaOnleeSam, ronhermioneforeva2314, spix, HelloLonely, MonMon Potter, Kandygurl4, Michelle Felton, WannaBArtist, Carrie, Jess5674, Dom-Basher CHAMPION, Obnoxiously Peachy Twit 2008.

And big thanks to Dani(silkyblackboxers) for agreeing to be my beta! Thank her and Lenny(Elena Faye) because without Lenny my chapter wouldn't be typed(I wasn't feeling too well) and without Dani it would look like a pile of crap! I love you guys!

Chapter 17: The Dolattivone Potion and Expulsion?

Immediately after Harry had burst out with that, everyone's tears stopped. They were still, staring avidly at the boy, waiting for him to answer. For once, Harry had no idea what to say, what to do or how to make anything better than it was. He decided that nothing was better than what he had done, and to just come out with it. He sighed loudly.

"Look. Everything that has been happening to Hermione--her going missing earlier and her disappearance now--is my fault. I really regret it now, I really do, because I feel what she's feeling and I can barely keep myself sane." Everyone was quiet. Shocked faces passed through the crowd as Harry continued.

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I--I wasn't thinking logically and I--formed an alliance. An alliance with a Slytherin to get rid of everything. And everything was based around Hermione, so I got rid of what was holding you together. I'm sorry. I--let me tell you everything." He said softly. Each of them were sending him looks, Ginny unable to face him at the time, and Pansy giving him a heavily burdened look.

_Harry was on his way to the Potions classroom when a voice sounded behind him._

_"Potter." The deep, masculine voice spoke loudly. Harry turned around to see a Slytherin standing behind him. He was tall, a little more over than Harry himself, with light brown hair and dark eyes. He was watching expectantly._

_"What do you want, Nott?" Theodore Nott smiled roughly; amused by the way that Harry was acting so standoffish._

_"Same thing you want, Potter. My friends away from that mudblood girl." He crossed him arms, leaning against the wall. Harry turned to walk away. "I know you want your friend away from my Slytherin friends." Harry paused, and turned backward._

_"What do you suggest, Nott?" Harry said quietly. Theo smiled knowingly._

_"I knew you'd see it like that, Potter. Well, I've been researching a way to do this." Theo reached in his pocket and pulled out a clear bottle that looked like water and a folded up piece of paper. He handed it to Harry as he read._

_**Italian Satanist couple, Alessandri and Elena Cattarini, created the Dolattivone Potion. A clear, tasteless potion and its name coming from the Italian words meaning painful, evil and separation.**_

_**The Dolattivone Potion has three different forms, with the painful form being the first. When the victim in is a state of joy, they will instantly transport to the worst place they could be and experience pain while there.**_

_**After found by their loved ones, they will vanish to the second form, evil. They will battle an evil that could very well be painful at the same time. The battle will be grueling and most likely unfair for the victim.**_

_**The last form of the Dolattivone Potion is separation. After the joyous reuniting of the friends of the victim, the one thing that holds them all together will disappear at an unlikely time.**_

_**Both Elena and Alessandri Cattarini, the creators of this horrid potion, have been residing in an experimental lab for about twenty years, and have found a way to create a potion to even out the lives of truly evil people. It is rumored that a matching curse is around somewhere.Harry looked up at the article curiously to Nott, who was tossing the Potion up and down. He stopped and handed it to Harry.**_

_"Just find a way to get it to her, and it will take effect, Potter."_

Harry hung his head, tears falling from his eyes. "I--I never meant for this to happen, I care ab-about Hermione a lot and I didn't want any of this, but I hated it! I hated how she trusted you, Malfoy, and you, Zabini, over us! I was desperate and I wasn't thinking..." Harry fell to his knees quietly, tears slipping through his hands.

Draco was absolutely furious. Standing from his kneeling position, he angrily walked towards Harry, lifted his face to his, and punched him swiftly. Harry clutched his face, still crying, and Ginny shrieked loudly.

"Stop it, Draco! Stop it!" Blaise let go of Ginny, who slid to the floor sobbing, to try and grab Draco away from Harry. He grabbed Draco around the waist and groaned as the latter pulled his elbow back, accidentally hitting Blaise in the face.

Draco suddenly felt arms around him, pulling him away from Harry. He pulled his fist back one more time, the back of his elbow stinging from colliding with Blaise's face, and hit Harry across the face for the fourth time as Blaise finally pulled him back. Draco fell back onto a now unconscious Blaise, red knuckled and rageful. Ron and Pansy reluctantly pulled Harry away from Draco and left him there.

The distraught blonde pushed himself away and rushed to his room, slamming the door behind him. Ginny found her way over to Blaise, gently cupping his head and checking his injuries. His cheekbone was definitely fractured, Draco's elbow pushing a shattered bone through the side of Blaise's cheek. The dark haired Slytherin was unconscious and lay on the floor as Ginny tried to help him up. Harry walked over.

"Gin, let me help--" Ginny shook her head vehemently.

"You've helped e-en-enough, Harry." She stammered through her tears, managing to hoist her boyfriend up and walk towards the door. Ron stood up, as well as Pansy, holding hands tightly. Ron walked over, loosening his hand from hers and picked Blaise up like a rag doll, carrying him out of the door. Pansy left in a different direction, most likely to the Slytherin Common Room. Harry was alone and disturbed, rocking softly in the middle of the Heads Common Room.

--

At the Hospital Wing a few minutes later, Madam Pomfrey couldn't tend immediately to Blaise.

Ginny was outraged. "His whole cheekbone is shattered as far as I can see, Madam Pomfrey!" The redhead exclaimed, near tears as she watched blood come up from the rupture in his now flawed face like a volcano. Madam Pomfrey shook her head sadly, tending to a bed.

"I'm sorry, Miss Weasley, but this just arrived anonymously." She stepped away from the bed allow Ginny to see the horrid sight before her. It was Hermione. Her face was dirt covered and blood smeared a large gash across her pale stomach revealed, a few bones lay broken inside. The throbs of her heart threatened to spill many of the organs out and one of her legs was twisted downward.

Ginny sobbed quietly, walking away from Blaise over to Hermione and Madam Pomfrey. "Can't you do anything, Madam Pomfrey? Just quickly? I'm so worried--the both of them mean the world to me and I couldn't bear to--" Ginny turned to her brother comfortingly, sobbing into his shoulder. Ron rubbed his sister's back soothingly.

"Mister Weasley, you are an apt spell caster. On the desk there is a book with spelled for healing exploded bones, which looks like Mister Zabini's case. Cast it once, no more than that, and apply this cream to his face." Madam Pomfrey handed him a jar of cream. Ginny sat in a chair beside Blaise's bed, his hand in hers, and the unharmed side of his cheek facing her. And his bright indigo eyes opened slowly.

"Ginny..." He got out slowly, and barely, seeing as his cheekbone that connected his jawbone was sticking out of his cheek. She threw herself lightly against his stomach as Ron pushed her back.

"Ginny, he might fall unconscious again. This spell is dangerous, I don't know if I can do it..." He shook slightly. Ginny looked up at him with wide brown eyes.

"Oh Ron, you have to! I couldn't bear it if Blaise--" She turned her head away. Ron sucked in a breath, before casting the spell. The light blue glow slowly pushed the bone back into one piece, before watching it melt back into the tan flesh of his cheek. Blaise's eyes closed briefly, before they opened again. Ron turned to leave, but Blaise grabbed his wrist.

"I know you don't like your sister and I dating. You didn't have to do this, but I owe you my life. Thank you." He said softly, his cheek sore. Ron nodded and smiled.

"My sister would have died without you. And it'd be on my conscience, Slytherin or not." He said with a smile, before leaving the Hospital Wing. Ginny wrapped her arms around Blaise tightly and ignored the slamming of the Hospital Wing doors.

"Blaise!" It was Draco, who rushed to his best mate's bed. "I'm sorry, Blaise. I shouldn't have started--I--but Potter, he hurt Hermione! I--" Ginny cut him off by pointing.

"She's already finished the first form, Draco. She's almost dead." Ginny stumbled slightly, pointing to the bed opposite, as Draco rushed over. His eyes watered over at the sight of the girl he cared for so much bleeding and unconscious.

"Is there anything I can do to help, Madam Pomfrey?" Draco asked quietly, watching the nurse carefully try and reconstruct Hermione's ribcage.

"It's not easy to rearrange bones that have completely broken and fallen out, Mister Malfoy! Could you please make sure Mister Zabini is all right? From your shouting, I do believe you ruptured his cheek quite badly, you know." Draco walked sullenly back to Blaise and Ginny, sitting down.

"What am I supposed to do you two?" He said quietly, his head in his hands. Ginny was quiet, but gently placed her hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Wait, I suppose. At least we know what to expect." She said softly, Blaise sitting up beside her. She sighed softly.

"I don't know what would make Harry do such a thing. He--he never lost me, he never lost any of us. Ron, Hermione and I are still there with him, we're his friends. I don't know why he felt like he was losing us to you all..." Ginny finished. Blaise smiled and laid his chin on her shoulder.

"What normal person wouldn't worry about losing you to wonderfully attractive Slytherins?" He joked quietly, and he had even gotten Draco to crack a smile. Ginny settled down and it was silent yet again.

"Blaise, I'm sorry about hitting you." Blaise was already nodding his head at the beginning of Draco's apology. He hit Draco in the shoulder and then spoke.

"It's even now, although that wasn't quite as horrible as shattering my cheekbone, Draco." The boy flushed, almost impossible for a pale person, but Draco Malfoy managed to accomplish it. A faint noise grabbed their attention and Draco rushed over to the bed Madam Pomfrey had left.

"Hermione?" The blonde asked curiously, to see an eye crack open from the bed.

"Draco. Oh Draco--" Tears filled her eyes. "I can't go back." Draco hugged the five-year-old lightly, careful not to hurt her, but then, as Pansy had described, and Hermione's small and frail body disappeared. He felt his eyes water and his throat constricted from tears.

"Hermione..." He said softly, interrupted by a loud laughter coming from the door. Ginny, Blaise, and Draco both looked up to find out where the source of laughter had come from. It was Theodore Nott.

**(A/N: Um, this was supposed to be a cliffie, but you guys were furious at the last one, so I'm combining Chapter 17 and 18. Okay?)**

Draco couldn't describe the burning in his chest as he saw the tall Slytherin enter the Hospital Wing smugly and walked over to Blaise's bed.

"What happen to you, Zabini?" The dark haired Italian glared at the boy, who looked innocent. Ginny stepped away from the tall, brunette Slytherin, and folded her arms with a glare.

"Get the hell away from my bed, Nott. You're not welcome here, or anywhere." Blaise swung his feet off the side of his bed and gave Theo a threatening glare, but Ginny pushed her hand into his chest. Nott slapped it away.

"No, no, Weaselette, let's see what Blaisey's gonna do." Blaise felt a growl erupt deeply in his stomach at the sight of the Slytherin pushing Ginny's hand away.

"Touch her again, Nott, talk to her like that again and you will not have a life." Blaise glared heavily at the boy, Ginny grabbing one of his arms forcefully to silently reign her boyfriend. Hell if she'd let him get hurt again. Just watching Ron repair it was a nasty sight.

"What will you do, Zabini? Can't I talk to her?" He said innocently, laughing to himself as he approached Ginny, who stood in front of Blaise's bed at the moment, backing away from the Slytherin.

"Nott..." Blaise warned, but the boy wasn't listening.

He pushed Ginny roughly, the girl stumbling back. "You're a whore, Weasley. Nothing but a dirty, blood traiting whore." He pushed her harder, and she fell back onto the floor. He knelt down and clasped her hair tightly in his fist. "Blaise doesn't love you, you know. He's in love with that mudblood, except she got turned into a five-year-old. He never loved you."

Blaise saw red and Draco couldn't make it over to restrain the angry boy. He leapt off his bed fatally, and tackling Nott to the ground, proceeded to smash his head against the tile. Ginny was too shocked to say anything, so she scrambled back against the wall. Draco yelled loudly to attract Madam Pomfrey's attention, as he grabbed Blaise in return from before and yanked him off a bloody-faced Theodore Nott.

After Draco let go of the furious Blaise, who collapsed back onto his bed, unable to express himself. But then jumped up quickly and ran over to where Ginny was curled up. Carefully, he took her into his arms, the redheaded girl immediately wrapping her arms around him and sobbing, "Blaise, what were you thinking?"

He wrapped his arms around her and just lay his head on top of her softly, setting her down. "I'm sorry..." He said softly. "I'm so sorry, Ginny." She pushed him away and stood up. He reached out, but she shook her head, tears in her eyes.

"I don't know how you can do this to me, Blaise! Continuously hurt yourself and hurt me and hurt everyone else! I thought you finally controlled it. I understand you felt threatened, but look at him, Blaise! You always push the important things back and it comes back to slap you in the face!" Madam Pomfrey, who got the story from Draco, was currently tending to the boy. She stepped backwards slowly.

"I don't understand--" She said softly, letting tears fall from her eyes. "--how everyone can say they love me and they care about me, but they hurt me!" Blaise stood up and grabbed her firmly by the shoulders. She looked down, avoiding his eyes.

"Listen at me, Ginny. You're letting Nott get to you--" She slapped his hand away.

"I'm not letting anything get to me! Anything but you, Blaise! You can't do this to me anymore--" She shoved him roughly and ran sobbing from the Hospital Wing.

Blaise fell to his knees in the middle of the Hospital Wing floor as the pitter-patter of tears fell. He was crying. Blaise Zabini, the strong, silent Slytherin was actually crying, and it was over a Gryffindor. **'Hell, not any Gryffindor.' **He thought sadly.**'My girlfriend.'** He felt a pang in his heart. **'God, I love her.'**

The doors to the Hospital Wing burst open, as Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape entered, Snape standing rudely in Blaise's path of puddles. He roughly grabbed the Slytherin's chin and jerked it up painfully, causing Blaise to emit more tears.

"What the hell were you thinking, Blaise? Is it really Nott's fault? Weasley was bothering him. If you asked me, the girl practically asked for it--"

"Shut up!" Blaise hissed at his Head of House, eyes filled with tears. "You got reports, Professor, and not to be rude, but you don't even know about anything that really transpired here, so I suggest mildly that you shut up and think before you say stupid things." Snape glared.

"You ungrateful little--"

"Severus, that is quite enough."

"Expel him, Albus. He doesn't deserve to see this school or his little Gryffindor girlfriend ever!" the morose Potions Master sneered.

"Severus, control yourself!" the man fell quiet, glaring at the young boy who had once been his esteemed and valued student. Now, he was the equivalent to the dirt on his shoes.

"Now, Mister Zabini. Violence is extremely frowned upon at this school. Usually, it is chastised with detentions and such, but I don't believe that I can allow that to suffice for the level of danger you put this particular student in. I acknowledge that he fueled the fire, according to Mister Malfoy, but I simply cannot excuse this." Blaise didn't care. The next statement froze him to the floor and his eyes closed sadly.

"We'll need you packed up in an hour. I'll look for you here, Mister Zabini. I'm sorry, but your removal from this school will be for the best."

Chapter 17: The Dolattivone Potion and Expulsion?

Quick Note: I know you're all flaming me, now, but please don't. Trust me. Do you trust me? You should. If you like this story, just trust me that Blaise will be okay, right? Good. And review. Combined chapter equaled a total of 3080 words!


	18. Dolore

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Harry Potter

Summary: Draco Malfoy is always the center of attention, not the attention giver. When he and Ron Weasley accidentally turn Hermione into a five-year-old, Draco will have to give all the attention he has to the small girl.

Crys: Yes, I'm quite aware that Blaise was supposed to be expelled last chapter, but you're supposed to be trusting me. Ha. If you trusted me, cheers to you. You'll find out why you should have. And I updated today because Dom-Basher CHAMPION gave me my tenth review. Thanks!

If This Isn't Good: _I can't believe that! Man I really feel for Blaise. That sucks. I am on the edge of my seat though; this story just keeps getting more interesting. Great job! _(LBuccalo for Chapter 17)

( for ) 

Chapter 18: Doloroso

Blaise aimlessly wandered the halls, his thoughts in a blur. Looking back on what he did, he wanted to kick himself in the face. Ginny was right. He was hurting everyone and he deserved being expelled from Hogwarts because of his violent outbursts. But it just wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that they had to expel him now.

It wasn't fair that he had been hurtful for so long and they choose to remove him at a time like this; at a time where someone actually needed him. Stopping by the dungeons, Blaise felt an unfamiliar placement. He was never in the dungeons. He was always in the Heads Common Room. Slowly, he packed the things he had set around his bed into his trunk.

He held the last thing on his dresser, pushed all the way to the back to make room for his pain potion and broom, was a picture of himself and Ginny on a weekend. They were outside in the snow, Blaise standing and smiling, while Ginny wrapped both of her arms around his neck, looking adorable in hats and gloves, especially as the wind whipped the green and silver scarf around her neck. He sighed to himself, wondering how such an important picture was all the way in the back.

'You always push the important things back and it comes back to slap you in the face!' Ginny's statement echoed in his mind. She was completely and utterly right. Everything that he had, he was slowly losing, until the last thing--the most important, was the hardest. Finally cleaning up the area, he shrunk his trunk to the size of an owl cage and made it light so he could carry it.

Leaving the dungeons, he made his way slowly up the flights of stairs, perhaps his last time journeying up the enormous staircases of the wizarding school. As reached the fourth floor, to his own surprise, his girlfriend was walking out of the lavatory, wiping her eyes.

"Ginny!" The girl whirled around and spotted Blaise. Before she could run off, he walked over. She frowned and crossed her arms.

"I'm leaving." He said morosely. She instantaneously laughed. Blaise couldn't believe her. After as long as she had known him, she had known him never to kid around, and she was laughing at him!

"You're joking." She smiled joyously, actually believing what she had said. He shook his head and rattled his trunk.

"I've been expelled for hurting Nott." He said quietly. She stopped laughing and looked up at him with shaking breaths.

"You're being expelled---" She said to herself, unable to grasp it. "You deserve it." She said rudely, turning away from him.

"You'll never see me again." Blaise added.

"I don't care."

"I'll break up with you right now."

"Go right ahead."

"I'll sleep with fifty girls and mail you details."

"I won't answer my owls." She turned to face him defiantly. "I don't care about you anymore. I'm tired of you hurting me and I hope you hurt as much as I did." She said vehemently, turning on her heels.

"I'll be sorry for the rest of my life." Ginny crumbled. The girl had been so intent on walking away, leaving Blaise standing there with his trunk composing ways to make her come back, yet she had dissolved at the mention of an apology.

Blaise walked slowly over to where she had stopped and wrapped his arms around her waist, letting his trunk drop to the floor with a loud thud, and lay his head on her shoulder. "Will you ever forgive me, Ginny?"

"I--I can't, Blaise." She said softly, melting into him. He pressed his lips gently to her neck, murmuring against the soft skin.

"Yes you can. Just say you forgive me..." He spoke quietly, feeling her come undone in his arms. She dropped her head, letting her sleek hair fall over her face.

"I can't forgive you, Blaise." She shuddered softly. He bit her earlobe softly, pulling away from her.

"Fine." He said calmly, picking up his trunk. "I'll be in the Hospital Wing." He left Ginny standing in the hallway, looking distraught.

--

Arriving in the Hospital Wing, Blaise pulled a chair over to Theodore Nott's bed. He had fifteen minutes to spare and decided what to do with it.

"Nott, I know you can't hear me, but I'm sorry. Hell, I have a horrific temper, you've known that for all of my life. Remember when my mother threw that tea party when I was little so I could make friends? I was five, shit, I didn't want friends. I punched Crabbe in the face because he took one of the tea cakes off of my table..." He laughed to himself. "Theo, we used to be such good friends! What happened? I mean, yeah, I went--am going--ah, hell, I don't know. She hates me, Theo. But I love her so much--I just have to reign my temper."

Blaise sighed and let a few seconds pass before continuing. "If you ever wake up--ever, just know that I meant what I did. I hope you take it as a warning. But I'm sorry I had to do it--I'm sorry I was obligated to. I wouldn't have if it hadn't been for those comments, Nott. I'm truly sorry and hope one day you can forgive me."

At that moment, the Hospital Wing doors burst open to reveal Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall all arguing as Ginny followed them in and walked over.

"What's going on?" He asked her.

"Oh, Madam Pomfrey left the monitor on for Nott incase he wakes up and heard you apologizing, so they're taking a board vote on whether you should be expelled or not." She still held a look of disdain on her face, yet she was in front of him.

"Ginny, please, can't you--"

"Mister Zabini! Miss Weasley, my office, now!" The Headmaster exclaimed loudly over his colleagues' argument.

--

Arriving at the Headmaster's office, he saw that other teachers were there, such as Flitwick, Vector, Hagrid, Binns, and Sprout. Sitting in a chair, Blaise was quietly listening.

"We have heard your private apology to Mister Nott, Mister Zabini, and some of us take it seriously. So know, we will go around and cast votes whether or not you deserve to stay here." Blaise nodded and listened.

Flitwick was first. "I could never vote Blaise away. He's a wonderful charms student--perhaps the best male student we've had in a while. I do believe he was quite sincere, there would have been no one to lie to but himself." Blaise smiled at his professor and Vector spoke.

"You're a wonderful student, Blaise, but I do believe you are unjust with what you have done. School is a learning environment and if you cannot keep it safe, you have to be removed. I'm sorry." Blaise nodded understandingly.

"Well, er, don't really know 'im, but to me i' seemed rat'er irate to 'urt some'un because of wha' they said." Hagrid said. Blaise nodded, he had never taken Care of Magical Creatures, so he wouldn't know whether he would get along with Hagrid.

It was Professor Binns turn to speak. "Blaise, you've always been a prized student of mine. If you leave this school, I will never have anything to look forward to, other than little Hermione." He grinned. "You're in on my vote."

Sprout stood. It was completely up to Blaise's Herbology teacher. He suddenly wished that he was Neville Longbottom, who had a knack for plants. Sure, he had blown up a few things in Herbology class, but could Professor Sprout forgive that?

"Blaise, you've been quite the troublemaker. You know from some class lectures that I don't like fighting and I'm sorry for this..." Blaise froze. "Severus, I can't let the boy leave."

Ginny jumped up from her seat and hugged Blaise tightly, who was beaming happily.

"I thought you--" He started, but she quieted him.

"I forgive you." She was quietly, before kissing him chastely on the lips. "I'll help you unpack, come on." As Ginny attempted to followed Blaise, she stumbled out into the hallway, slamming harshly into the opposite wall, looking dazed and doubled over in pain.

"Ginny!" Blaise called out, bracing her slightly. "What's wrong?" She shook her head stupidly, tears in her eyes.

"I don't know what I was thinking..." She said softly, a tear rolling down her cheek. Blaise tilted her chin up.

"Ginny, what did you do?" He asked concernedly to her. "What's wrong? Please tell me what happened!" He exclaimed. She looked up at him.

"I--I took Hermione's pills." Blaise let go of her.

"Holy hell, Ginny! What **were** you thinking?" He asked, closing his eyes. He remembered those pills she had to take. There were about ten left. The Professors had rushed out into the hallway, muttering amongst themselves. Ginny slid down slowly against the wall.

"Ginny, let me help you..." Blaise attempted, to scoop her up, but she kicked out at him.

"No! Leave me alone!" She sobbed softly. "It's your fault! You and your fighting!" Blaise shook his head and knelt down.

"Ginny, if you don't let me help you, you're going to die."

"Like you care!" Blaise shrink back. What happened to forgiving him? Ignoring her, he took her into his arms, allowing her to kick and scream and slap and yell at him as he carried her to the Hospital Wing.

"Minerva," Professor Dumbledore called to the woman, "call the Weasleys here, now. Their daughter may be dying."

--

As Blaise made it to the Hospital Wing, Ginny's head lolled.

"Ginny!" He said softly to her, prodding her. Her eyes opened and she looked at him.

"I want to go to sleep--please, let me just go to sleep...I wanna die..." She said softly, pushing her eyes closed. Blaise shook her awake.

"Almost there, Ginny, it'll be okay. Hang on..." Pushing the door open, Blaise looked around. Draco was still supposed to be here---ugh, too much to worry about at the moment. Placing Ginny on a bed, Blaise briefed Madam Pomfrey on the situation.

"You all are such pains...just **creating **problems for me to fix, aren't you? The blonde boy already disappeared--"

"What?" Blaise exclaimed in surprised. Draco disappeared? But he could have--unless he found a way to brew the Dolattivone Potion. Nott lay a few beds away from Ginny, thank goodness.

"Not now, Mister Zabini, she can't stay here. We have to spell her and then take her to St. Mungos. Are her family members coming?" Blaise nodded as Ginny lay there. Just then, the question was self answered, as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley along with the twin walked in, Mrs. Weasley rushing over to the Slytherin.

"Dearie, what's wrong?" Blaise sighed softly.

"She overdosed on Hermione's pain pills." The Weasley twins shook their heads.

"Nonsense." They announced together, giving Blaise a distrustful look.

"There's no way--"Fred started.

George continued, "--that Ginny takes pills--"

"--that aren't hers."

"She's a neat freak!" George finished.

"Why would I lie? She took the pills from Hermione's room. She took them all--all ten...it was my fault--I should have never--" Mrs. Weasley put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"The only way it could be your fault is that you gave them to her or watched her do it. Did you?" She asked to prove him. He shook his head. "Exactly, so don't blame yourself."

Blaise shook his head to himself and sat beside Ginny's bed, holding her hand. "But I made her hate me, which made her not want to live--Mrs. Weasley, that's all she was saying on the way up here, **'let me go to sleep, I wanna die...'** She's breaking my heart!" He exclaimed, clenching her hand softly, and raising it to his lips, kissing her hand softly.

There was silence as spells were cast over Ginny's still body by the nurse, the twins watching interestedly, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley watching worriedly. Finally, when she finished, she turned.

"We need to get her to St. Mungo's. She should be conscious in a few minutes, prod her every now and then. And you, Mister Zabini, please try to stay out of here." He smiled, picking Ginny up carefully.

--

They had to walk off of the grounds. Blaise was ahead, because the Weasleys hung back allowing him to talk with their half-conscious daughter. The path was slightly worn, the cobblestones becoming uneven as they walked down the hill.

"Ginny.." Blaise said softly, prodding the girl. Her brown eyes half opened.

"Leave me alone...I'm dying--so close, leave me alone." She said quietly, her eyes looking far away.

"Ginny, you're talking nonsense!" Blaise insisted, shaking her softly. She turned her head to face him and glare.

"It's your fault, Blaise. You made me hate you and all I lived for was you...You broke my heart." She said softly, but cruelly.

"I apologized, Ginny, I apologized over and over again! You said you forgave me...what is there? How many times am I going to have to apologize to you for that?" Her eyes met his in a cool clash as she spoke calmly.

"Until it's the last word you've ever spoken." After saying that, Ginny wouldn't answer him, but she turned away from his gaze and watched the ground pass under his feet. Blaise watched her sadly, as he continued. The Weasleys looked on in sadness.

"I hope the pills haven't made her delusional as well..." Molly Weasley said to herself. Arthur clasped her hands.

"She'll be okay." He said comfortingly, walking slowly. The twins were quiet, most likely unable to find humor in the situation. Reaching the gates of Hogwarts, Blaise pushed them open and walked out, waiting for the Weasleys. When they stopped beside him, they clutched his hands and apparated alongside him.

--

After putting Ginny in a room, the Weasleys and Blaise sat outside while the medi-wizards and medi-witch sucked the chemicals out of her stomach, a gruesome procedure. Molly looked to Blaise, who was watching the door for any sign of movement. Doctors were slowly filing out, with happy looks, hinting she was alive. So, now less worried, the Weasleys waited.

"Are you all right?" Molly asked the dark haired boy. He shook his head, standing up.

"I shouldn't be here." He said to himself. He began to walk down the hallway, hearing the Weasleys' gasp as someone wrapped their arms around him from behind. He looked down at the small, pale hands that he had held in his own only a few moments ago.

"Ginny?" He questioned. The girl let go of him but only to hug him the right way. "Ginny, I--"

"No, it's my fault. The doctors said those pills made me suicidal because, well, that's how she got half of the Dolattivone Potion. I'm so sorry, Blaise. Please don't leave." She said softly. He smiled knowingly, leaning down and kissing her softly.

"It's all right." He said quietly with a smile on his face. Molly's face split into a wide grin at seeing her daughter awake and happy. She half turned.

"Mum, we're going back! See you!" Ginny called to her mother. Blaise let go of her hands.

"Go talk to your mother, I'll see you at school." The boy nodded, pushing Ginny toward her mother.

--

Ginny embraced her parents as she walked over and allowed the twins to hug her as well.

"Ginny, we were so worried about you! What in the world were you thinking, girl?" Molly scolded, but holding Ginny close to her all the same. Ginny smiled.

"I don't even know anymore, mum. " The redheaded girl said softly. Her mother smiled and kissed her daughter's cheek affectionately.

"One thing is certain, that charming boy was very worried about you. Blaise? Your boyfriend, you said?" Ginny blushed and nodded. "Dearie, you never told me what House he was in!"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, mum. He's in Slytherin." Molly's face fell pale. Ginny looked up at her mother, her expression changing from a smile to a frown.

"Mum--"

"Ginny, do you know how dangerous it is?" The girl nodded slowly. "And you'd still love him, even if I told you the worst about him?" Ginny nodded again, her head bowed shamefully. Her mother tilted her head up and kissed her daughter's forehead.

"Then he's perfect." She said, Ginny hugging her mother tightly. Arthur took her hands as well.

"Just don't get hurt, dear. There's a tip about student Death Eaters and an attack soon...We've got heavy guards and everyone's afraid that they'll break it..." Ginny nodded.

"We'll apparate you, Ginny!" The twins chorused. Grabbing their sister's hand, the three Weasleys apparated.

--

After the twins left Ginny, she spotted Blaise up ahead of her and ran over to him.

"Blaise!" She said excitedly, swinging her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. He grinned and walked a bit slower so she could keep up with his long strides. It was silent again, like the way down to the Hospital Wing, Blaise and Ginny's hands laced together cutely.

Pushing the doors open, the hallways were barren. Ginny and Blaise ignored this, assuming classes were on and walked up to the Hospital Wing, where Madam Pomfrey was talking in hushed tones.

"What's going on?" Blaise asked, allowing Ginny to sit on a bed. The nurse looked hollow eyed.

"Oh, Miss Weasley, the second green potion on the left with your name on it is yours." Ginny obediently grabbed it as the medi-witch turned to Blaise.

"Mister Zabini, since the blonde boy disappeared, strange things have been going on. A corridor in the Gryffindor Wing has a drawing of the Dark Mark and the Hufflepuff Table had You-Know-Who's name burned into it. Professor Dumbledore put everyone on house arrest and I'm afraid you can't leave the wing as of now."

"But Madam Pomfrey, where did he go?"

"Supposedly, he was transported along with Hermione to the second phase of the Dolattivone Potion. We had barely enough time before to rack her brain for the memory of it." The nurse said tiredly. Blaise nodded and returned worriedly to Ginny.

"Draco's gone along with Hermione somehow to the second form of the potion and now the school's in danger. You know what, we've got to find the Pensieve of her first form, they got it from her." The Slytherin told her softly, as so Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear him. Ginny nodded and opened her mouth to talk but didn't.

"Do you hear that?" She said quietly, as a low rumbling was heard. A Ravenclaw shrieked loudly and ran away from the window she was standing in front of as that whole wall blew up. Blaise stepped in front of Ginny, before falling over from the debris rocketing forward from the explosion.

Slowly, the dust cleared. People stood up confusedly, minor scrapes and cuts. Madam Pomfrey was terrifed, looking out of a hole in the wall at a swarm of black hooded Death Eaters storming in. The door was thrown open by Dumbledore.

"We're in war, Poppy!" He exclaimed. A groan was heard and Dumbledore stepped over a fallen piece of rubble and moved it with his wand, revealing the bruised face of Ginny Weasley. "Professor..." She got out slowly, pulling herself to her feet. "What's happened?"

"Miss Weasley, Death Eaters have stormed the school. Keep up your guard." She nodded slowly, before turning back to the rubble. A large pile lay besides where she had been.

Carefully pulling rocks away from it, she uncovered a head of dark hair with blood oozing from it. She screamed loudly. Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore rushed over, with Pomfrey taking Ginny away from the gruesome sight. The head was speared on one of the legs of a hospital bed.

Ginny turned into Madam Pomfrey's shoulder and sobbed loudly. "Blaise!" She exclaimed loudly. She shrieked loudly again and again until her voice collapsed as she slid to the floor in pain.

"There's another body here, Poppy. And they both look exactly like Blaise Zabini." The nurse walked over.

"Terry Boot was here not a long while ago, they both have a striking resemblance to each other." Ginny couldn't believe it. How do you confuse two students?

--

In the Entrance Hall, all hell was loose. The hallway was swarmed with Death Eaters and students battling, curses, hexes, and spells shot from every direction possible. Loud crashes and other deafening sounds were occurring around them, but no one could really stop to pay attention. A little further away, on the first floor, Ron and Pansy dueled three Death Eaters.

"**Impedimenta**!" Pansy cried to one of them, affectively slowing the use of their wand, before making an 'x' with her wand and exclaiming, "**Flagrate**!" A shot of fire shaped as an 'x' sailed across the fabric, the Death Eater slowly trying to put it out, but failing and collapsing, a burn mark sizzling flesh.

"**Locomotor Mortis**!" Ron snapped twice in succession, effectively stopped two Death Eaters. In thought with Ron, Pansy shot the spell at him. "**Aguamenti**!" At the same time, the redhead's spell faced the two leg-locked Death Eaters. "**Relashio**!" The water combining with the spark of his wand caused a jet of hot water to spew out. They fell backwards, Pansy turning away into Ron's arms as their legs snapped straight through from the intense pressure from the water jets.

"It's okay. Come on, even if we hate him at the moment, we have to make sure Harry's all right." Clasping her hand, they ran from the first floor and made their way up. The Death Eaters had only gotten as far as the fifth floor and skipped the ones below, so the only safe places were Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Towers, as well as the Hufflepuff Commons. No one really dared finding or hiding in the Slytherin Commons at a time as such.

Finally making it to the Tower, the door was flung open to reveal Harry at Theodore Nott's wand level. The boy's Death Eater mask lay beside his feet, his robe long and flowing.

"An audience, Potter? You've helped me well, and now to cover tracks." Ron drew his wand and pointed it at Nott's back.

"**Avada Kedavra**!" He cried out, Nott falling forward onto Harry. "Are you all right?" Harry stared shockingly at Ron.

"You saved me and killed him--" Ron shook his head.

"Not now, I guess we'll have to patch up for now, but we're definitely talking about it when it's the right time." He said, helping Harry up and walking out.

--

That was it. Professor Dumbledore had distinguished the features. Standing to an upright position, he held the other badly bruised boy carefully and knelt with his body slowly beside Ginny, surprising strength for an old man.

"Miss Weasley..." He said softly, laying the body over her lap as she sobbed quietly. "It's Mister Zabini." Let out a loud cry, Ginny bent herself over the unconscious body, grateful that he wasn't dead, but still upset that he wasn't awake. "The other was Terry Boot. We're sorry for that. Quick, now. We have got to move you to safety."

Ginny and Professor Dumbledore, who carried Blaise, placed a disillusionment charm on themselves as they made it up to the seventh floor. Entering the Gryffindor Common Room, he suspected many students were in dormitories.

"Miss Weasley, I have to go. I wish I could stay with you and Mister Zabini, but I've got things to take care of." He left the Common Room and Blaise stirred slightly. Ginny waited. Finally, ruggedly, the dark haired Slytherin sat up and looked around.

"Ginny--" He was cut off painfully as Ginny practically threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around the dark haired Slytherin and sobbing softly. He had various scrapes and gashes, which he plainly ignored.

"Oh Blaise...don't ever do that again..." She said tearfully. Blaise kissed her quickly, before standing.

"Look, Ginny, we've got to get that memory." She nodded and stood with him. "Let's go."

After leaving the Gryffindor Common Room, it was easier to reach Professor Dumbledore's office because it was on the seventh floor as well. Reaching the giant door, Blaise spoke clearly, "Butterscotch." The gargoyle sprung aside, revealing the elevator-like staircase that Ginny and Blaise stood on.

No one was in the office but them, so they took different sides to search for the pensive. Finally, Ginny uncovered it from a secret drawer underneath the desk and set it on the table with a thump. Both of them touched it, before being pulled inside.

--

Blaise and Ginny stood behind Hermione, who looked around worriedly. The surrounding was a barren dirt field, windy and cold. It was dark out, but the moon was giving ample light.

"Pansy? Pansy! Blaise, Ginny, Draco! Harry--Ron..." She dropped to her knees, unable to find anyone she was familiar with. Suddenly, a loud noise was heard, when Blaise saw a mirror of himself. The boy watched Hermione rushed towards him excitedly, but pensive Blaise caught Hermione by her neck. She struggled and kicked her feet.

"Blaise--stop--I can't breathe--" She choked out, but the boy didn't seem to be listening. Another loud noise brought Pansy forward, who stood beside pensive Blaise and grinned. Hermione reached one of the hands that was pulling at Blaise's reached out at her, but the woman smiled viciously. Pensive Blaise finally tossed her to the ground and Pensive Pansy raised her wand to the little girl.

"**Crucio**!" Tears slid from the five-year-old eyes, as she convulsed on the ground.

"Stop!" A voice cried. "Leave her alone!" Pensive Ginny rushed towards Pensive Pansy and set the curse off its path. Pensive Ginny stood straight. "Leave it to me." Pointing her wand at Hermione, she pressed it to her throat. "**Sectumsempra**!"

Hermione's neck gruesomely split open and she screamed loudly, blood bubbling sickeningly at the wound. Ginny turned to Blaise and wrapped her arms around him, unable to watch. Pensive Ginny repeated the curse to Hermione's stomach, her neck sealing up but blood smearing as Pansy kicked her boredly.

"Stop it! Please stop it, this isn't real!" She exclaimed. "You'd never do this to me! It's not real, it's not possible!" And then, slowly, Hermione disappeared.

--

Back in the Headmaster's office, Ginny sobbed in Blaise's arms. "How could she go through that?" The girl cried softly.

"Blaise, that was horrible. Who knows what's going on right now as we sit here? She and Draco won't be able to fight this off--you know Hermione didn't even get to heal, all they did was take her memory...they have no recollection of exactly how it works because all of the victims--they die."

Blaise held her until she ceased crying and stood up. "We've got to go wait out the Hospital Wing for Draco to come back. Hell, Dumbledore brought us away from there because it isn't safe, but we have to let them know what happens before they walk out into it." Ginny took Blaise's hand and together, they exited the Headmaster's office, but it wasn't safe anymore.

Chapter 18: Doloroso

Quick Note: All of the spells used are real spells, gathered from the HP Encyclopedia. Doloroso means pain in Italian, the (dol) of the Dolattivone Potion.


	19. Cattivo

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Harry Potter

Summary: Draco Malfoy is always the center of attention, not the attention giver. When he and Ron Weasley accidentally turn Hermione into a five-year-old, Draco will have to give all the attention he has to the small girl.

**Crys: Psh, before we get started I'd like to tell you about my new spell grammar. Spells that are being fired are bolded. Spells that aren't being fired but described will be italicized, and spells that have affected something are in single quotes. **

**My forgiveness! I realized that 'Doloroso' does not mean pain, 'Dolore' is pain. 'Doloroso' means painful. ****And, um, as always, thanking Dani for her wonderful beta-ness and general awesome-ness in the world of grammar. She's silkyblackboxers, you have got to read her stories! If you liked this, check out hers!**

**I've been reading some good fanfiction and thought I should share it with you all...**

**Dare or Dare by Angelo Del Ghiaccio: A funny dare story in which the gang, similar to my Helping Her gang(aka Draco, Hermione, Pansy, Blaise, Ron, and Ginny) play pranks in class. Very funny!**

**Peppermints and Peaches by silkyblackboxers: A wonderful DracoHermione patrol story, it captured my heart long before Dani betad for me. Read it!**

**_If This Isn't Good:_ I love your story! It's awesome! Your writing technique is one of the best that I've ever read! I hope you are going on after chapter 18. You should! (KiKi for Chapter 18)**

Chapter 19: Cattivo

Outside were piles of body that weren't moving or were trying to but failing. Taking a bit of time, Ginny tried to remember all of the healing spells she could and cast them on the people that were immobile to get them up, before she and Blaise left to go to the other half of the wing, first in search of Pansy and Ron.

Stepping onto the fifth floor, the pair met Harry battling in the center of eight Death Eaters, fairing well as curses were fired at him.

"**Colligere**!" Blaise cried, watching as two Death Eaters that were facing each other were instantaneously glued together by their faces. They stumbled around, unable to use their wands seeing as their lips were fused together. Holding his wand in the middle of one of their head, Blaise exclaimed, "**Diffindo**!"

The two faces of the Death Eaters were unrecognizable as the severing charm cut off any features that could tell them from another as they collapsed to the ground.

"Potter, how are you doing?" Harry smiled at Blaise and Ginny.

"A hell of a lot better now that you showed up!" He said, easily knocking a Death Eater unconscious by blasting him back against the wall. Ginny pulled out her wand and exclaimed, "**Accio** wands!" Instinctively, Blaise clasped his wand tightly, as the four remaining Death Eaters became unarmed. "**Evanesco**!" She exclaimed, watching in expectation as the four wands disappeared and the Death Eaters fled.

Sighing, Harry leaned over to catch his breath. "Thanks-- there were about a good ten Death Eaters over here and boy, they got me." Ginny smiled.

"Yeah, but you did well yourself." Harry held up his wand hand, as it dangled limply.

"Just broke it. Slammed it against the wall from a nice _Expelliarmus_." He chided, glaring at the broken limb. "I'll surely defeat the Dark Lord even if my wand hand is basically maimed; I'll use my love of not dying to save me." Ginny smiled wryly.

"I can help you if you stop babbling, Harry. Consider it as a forgiveness token." Pointing her wand to his hand, she said, "**Episkey**." Harry felt his hand roll back into a working position. He smiled.

"Thanks, Ginny." He said, grabbing hold of his wand and rolling his wrist.

"We were looking for Ron and Pansy." Blaise told Harry, while the three walked down the next flight of stairs.

"I just saw him a while ago--_Avada'd_ Nott, you know." Ginny froze in her tracks and turned to look at Harry. Blaise stopped as well. "Nott was going to kill me, and Ron walked in and just--killed him." Ginny shook her head in disbelief and finally regained movement.

On the fourth floor, an excited Pansy hugged Ginny from behind. "Ginny! Ginny, Draco and Hermione are in the Hospital Wing! Are you and Blaise all right? You were both in the Wing when the attack started, right?" Ginny laughed and placed her hands on Pansy's shoulders.

"Calm down, Pansy. So Draco and Hermione are back? We'll be up there. Blaise and I weren't there, we were at St. Mungo's -- I'll explain later-- and came back seconds before the place collapsed. Where's my brother, Pansy?" The girl pushed a black strand of hair behind her ear and felt tears fill her eyes.

"He's--"

"Ginny!" A small voice cried out. The voice belonged to only one person. And that person latched their small arms around Ginny Weasley's legs.

"Hermione!" The redheaded girl exclaimed, picking up the five-year-old and hugging her tightly. "Are you all right?" From behind her, Draco walked up and was quietly chatting with Blaise.

"So, Draco, what happened?" Ginny asked. The boy sighed. They both looked slightly tired, Hermione moreover because of her previous injuries that Draco seemed to half heal.

"Well, it was horrible. I remember every bit of it. I was just standing there after she left and I lay on her pillow and then, I was gone. The next thing I knew I was looking at this tall, dark house and Hermione was standing there, afraid..."

_Hermione looked up at the house. It was tall and dark, standing against the light of the moon, shutters rattling in the winds and various things making the floorboards creak from inside. _

"Draco, what are we going to do?" Draco looked at the scared girl and took her hand.

_"We're going to have to go in and get this over with. But first--" He pointed his wand at the large wound in her stomach and a blue glow fell out, causing her stomach to stitch up and her bones to reconstruct. Picking her up from her twisted foot, how she managed to walk was beyond him; he carried her into the house. _

_At once, a loud cry of "**Incarcerous**!" was heard and Draco dropped Hermione immediately. The girl let out a piercing scream, wondering why he dropped her, but to realize that he was now bound with heavy ropes and... she wasn't. "**Impervius**," someone cried out, making the ropes unaffected by magic, possibly, until she was safe. _

"My wand is in my pocket..." He whispered to her, as she grabbed it. "You can spell Hermione. Just remember the evil ones..." The girl nodded, afraid. Turning back to the group that was emerging from the shadows, she immediately recognized the middleman, his long, blonde hair falling over his shoulder.

"Mudblood!" He cried, pointing his wand at her. Draco instructed her. "Say Crucio, Hermione. Just shout and shout it at my father--now!" Shocked into an automatic state of obedience, Hermione cried out without any objection.  
_  
"**Crucio**!" No matter how bad her language was marred, the curse hit its target and Lucius crumpled to the ground, trying in vain to regain his stature. _

_"The fire charm, Hermione." He insisted, obviously meaning the simple one, but she didn't recognize it. Drawing a circle with her wand, she exclaimed, "**Relashio**! **Incendio**!" The ring of fire jumped up over Lucius, shielding him from view. The two men on the side stepped away from the fire as the next one was revealed. _

_"Dad!" She exclaimed, immediately recognizing the man. He stood innocently, watching his daughter suffer. _

"Hermione, you have to--" Draco started, but the girl wasn't listening.

"Dad, please! Please help me--take me away from this place!" He simply shook his head and closed his eyes.  
_  
"Hermione, you have to kill him--it's the only way out." She shook her head, choking back tears. "Hermione! If you don't kill him, give me my wand." Turning slowly to her father, she pointed Draco's wand.  
__  
"**A--A--Avada Kedavra**." The man fell forward, allowing himself to be consumed by flames. _

"That's the point of this, Hermione. You have to get rid of them to prove that you can do this--you can get over this." Hermione glanced at the last person to step from behind the shadows. It was her very best friend, Ronald Weasley. He glared quietly at her, his blue eyes filled with hatred.

_She turned to Draco. "I can't hurt him--not Ron. " She said quietly, but Draco shook his head and made her face him. Pointing the wand, she muttered "**Fidelis**," before counteracting with "**Crucio**!" Tearfully, she turned around to Draco and burned away his ropes, which could now be removed. They felt as if they were as light as a feather, before fading away._

"And we both woke up in the Hospital Wing." Draco ended, turning to the both of them. Suddenly, a loud cry was heard and the rumbling of the foundation was started. Blaise clasped Ginny in fear of losing her, and Hermione hugged herself to Pansy and Draco, who were next to each other. Harry braced himself against the wall. The shaking lasted for a few minutes in which it was unsafe to move, and then there was silence.

"We did it!" Someone exclaimed loudly, running through the hallways. "The Death Eaters are gone! We've stormed them all out of here!" The excited person yelled joyously, helping people up and exclaiming the good news. Everyone was excitedly hugging each other, and Ginny turned to Pansy again.

"Where's Ron?" She asked over, through all of the group's yelling. Pansy turned away from the redheaded girl and said, "I can't find him." Ginny felt faint. Stumbling backwards, Blaise caught her before she lost consciousness.

"What happened, Pansy, what's wrong?" He asked worriedly as the dark haired girl began to cry. Turning to Blaise, she sniffed and wiped her eyes. Draco walked over and encased her in a hug, rubbing her back.

"Ron--Ron's gone--I can't find him anywhere--" She said again, her voice trembling. Blaise inhaled deeply. Ron had saved his life and Harry's life and Pansy's life as well. How could he not be found? Blaise's thoughts were interrupted at the sound of a loud, projected voice throughout the castle.

"Congratulations Hogwarts for a splendorous display of learning and applying! We have faired off quite well against the Death Eaters and I ask of all of you who know anyone unconscious or hurt to take them to the Hufflepuff Common Room, which is below ground. As of now, the only safe Common Room is the Ravenclaw's Common Room, thankfully spacious.

"I ask that the Head Boy and Head Girl report to by office immediately for instruction to whom to allow in your Common Room. Tomorrow morning, we will inform you of a few people whom we are certain have left us and a list will be provided for each house of the people still in attendance to help your search, if for anyone. Thank you again, and we ask you all to report to the Ravenclaw Common Room."

Draco reluctantly let go of Pansy and took Hermione's hand and led her to the Headmaster's office.

--

Professor Dumbledore looked up as the two walked in. "Draco, Hermione, sit down." Gathering himself, he spoke.

"After this meeting is closed, I ask graciously to rack young Hermione's memory for the second form of the Potion. If you weren't sure, Hermione is quite a lucky case, because many who have taken this potion suffered the side effect of death."

"Well, as we are aware, your Common Room is very well spacious and safe, seeing as you and Hermione can bunk together. So, I will be rooming you all with the Gryffindors and Slytherins. It's your duty to fetch them all and get them to divide evenly into Hermione's room and elsewhere. Since they are currently there, the rest of the staff will set out on putting things back to normal, which shouldn't take but a few hours." Draco nodded.

--

After Professor Dumbledore had gotten the memory, Hermione turned to Draco. "I've got to get Snuffles from my room, he doesn't like strangers. So you can go get everyone." She smiled, before skipping happily down the hallway. Sighing, he reported to the Ravenclaw Common Room.

Pushing the portrait open, he noted that it was quite roomy. Clearing his throat and gathering as much attention as possible, Draco spoke. "Gryffindors and Slytherins! Please follow me to a separate living quarters! As for the rest of you, see you in the morning!" There was combined movement as many gathered up belongings and dragged them out of the common room down the hallway.

Opening his Common Room, he directed them to Hermione's room, which was cleverly cleared out, as well as the Common Room itself. Walking into his own room, he could see Hermione sitting cross-legged across his bed with Snuffles' basket on the floor. She smiled.

"I cleared everything up and put it in a bag, it'll go back as soon as everyone leaves." She said triumphantly, climbing in the bed beside Draco and wrapping an arm halfway around him.

"Goodnight Draco." She said, as he flicked the light off. "Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite."

"Goodnight Hermione, sweet dreams." The blonde said with a smile, hugging the small girl to him. But yet did Draco know these were the last words he would be saying to her. Separation can be quite the evil thing.

Chapter 19: Cattivo

**Quick Note: Yes, the spells are all real. Two might have question. Impervius is like the word, but it only affects objects in water. In this case, I proved it to work for objects in magic. And the word 'Colligere' is Latin for 'to stick together,' a part of the prefix to the 'Colloportus' spell which closes doors (portus). **

**Points to anyone who figures out what the 'Fidelis' charm that Hermione cast did to Ron! And this world isn't any different from the real world, expect to see something. **

**Cattivo means evil in Italian, the (attiv) of the Dolattivone Potion.**


	20. Una Separazione Basso

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Harry Potter

Summary: Draco Malfoy is always the center of attention, not the attention giver. When he and Ron Weasley accidentally turn Hermione into a five-year-old, Draco will have to give all the attention he has to the small girl.

**Crys: Um, you guys are totally going to hate me for this chapter. I mean, it's not short or anything, it's just--horrible. Well, maybe kinda short compared to the others. Again, lovig Dani and her awesome betaness. Shame she'll only be here for five more chapters, unless she wants to beta my other stories...**

**_If This Isn't Good: _Last words? Uh oh, I wonder wha'ts gonna happen next! Loved the chapter, please do update soon! You're a great writer! (HelloLonely for Chapter 19)**

Chapter 20: Una Separazione Basso

Draco woke up and stretched. And that was when he realized that Hermione was not in the bed beside him. She had gone off, no doubt, again. Sighing, he prepared himself to get ready for another day. Pulling his clothes completely on, he checked himself in the mirror and stepped out unto the Common Room. No one was around, the chairs and couch returned to their proper place and Hermione's room door was closed.

Draco took his time getting to the Great Hall, observing the magnificent changes that the professors had done to make the school more vibrant. Opening the Great Hall doors, he took a seat next to Blaise at the Slytherin table.

The boy didn't look too happy and was barely eating the syrupy pancakes on his plate, but pushing them across it with his metal fork and then violently stabbing them. Draco helped himself to a large stack and lathered them with syrup, before asking Blaise, "What's wrong, mate?"

The dark-haired boy sighed at his blonde companion, who was eating pancakes at the speed of light. "Check out my girlfriend at the Gryffindor table." He said, before going silent.

"Oh Blaise is she flirting again?" He joked, but his mouth fell open and the chewed up pancake fell into a puddle of syrup in his plate at the sight.

There was Ginny Weasley, beaming happily and looking fresh in her uniform and sitting next to her, already in uniform, was a seventeen-year-old Hermione Granger, also laughing alongside her sixth year friend. Not the Hermione Granger who had short, springy curls, but the Hermione Granger with long, unruly curls. Draco couldn't think. His mind suddenly collapsed from the bottom of his head and was burned with the sight of Hermione laughing happily at the Gryffindor table. She wasn't five. She was completely normal.

Blaise returned to stirring his pancakes, glaring darkly at them. "She wouldn't talk to me this morning in the Common Room." He said morosely, pouring himself a glass of pumpkin juice and stirring his finger through the liquid absently.

Draco couldn't comprehend well. His eyes were on Hermione. At that moment, she turned her head slowly until her dark eyes met his clear ones, and she turned her head away. Ginny looked concernedly at her friend, before the brunette stood and walked out of the Great Hall, her eyes clashing with Draco's before she left. Finally turning his eyes to the front of the hall, he saw Professor Dumbledore stand up and clear his throat.

"At this time, as I have told you, I will be announcing a full list of the dead." Everyone went quiet to listen. "In Slytherin House. Millicent Bulstrode. Anice McGyver. Julia Specker. Theodore Nott. Karla Reyes. Gregory Goyle. Vincent Crabbe. Jocelyn Specker. In Ravenclaw House. Christopher Stone. Lesley Hapler. Laura Hapler. Terry Boot. Kerry Nacelle. Luna Lovegood. In Hufflepuff House. Justin Finch-Fletchly. Amory Kisten. Leahan Moorset. Zacharias Smith. And In Gryffindor House. Seamus Finnegan. Colin Creevey. Jacob Corve. Ronald Weasley."

Many students were near tears and comforting each other at the end of this, but unable to take the news, Ginny stood up from her chair and left the Hall, causing Blaise to follow her.

--

"Ginny!" Blaise called out, causing the girl to turn around. Sadly, she held him to her like a lifeline, crying loudly into his shoulder.

"Blaise--he can't be dead--they must have been lying. Not Ron--not my brother. Please no--" She crumpled in Blaise's arms as they both sunk to their knees in the Entrance Hallway. "Ron didn't deserve to die--he should have been here--" She was cut off by another sob. She looked up to see Pansy Parkinson, tears glistening on her pale cheeks as she knelt down and hugged Ginny.

"Pansy--he loved you--he loved you a lot." Ginny cried softly into the girl's shoulder. "He wanted the best for you--he wanted you, and he deserved you, too. You both deserved to have each other. This can't be possible--I can't be losing him--" The two girls continued to cry in the hallway, Blaise sitting between the both of them.

--

Hermione carefully rethought her whole morning, starting from when she woke up to when she found out that she was actually seventeen and normal, not five and hyperactive.

_Hermione woke up, and attempted to sit up. Glancing down at her body, she realized that first, she wasn't five. And secondly, that someone was half draped across her. It was Draco Malfoy. Despite him looking peaceful and harmless, Hermione screamed before remembering that he would hear her and wake up. Carefully moving his hands and legs off of her, she crept out of his room and crept into her own._

Now that she thought about it, she remembered the horrible pain of the Dolattivone Potion. She remembered every excruciating detail of the adventure. Shutting her eyes, she allowed Snuffles to hop into her lap and nuzzle her fingers affectionately.

She rubbed the kitten's black head, wondering to herself. Pansy and Blaise had gotten her Snuffles', two Slytherins. She had completely planned on ignoring them altogether, but it was rather hard to seeing as she shared a Common Room with the _Slytherin_ Head Boy. She guessed everything was back to the way it was.

Dumbledore had talked to her about the work she missed. Half of the classes she didn't attend because of being in the Hospital Wing or in another class and the other half she didn't pay attention to. So, to make her comfortable, he assigned her two tutors after her classes, one from Ravenclaw and the other Hufflepuff.

He had first suggested them to be Draco and Blaise, but Hermione refused, saying that she wasn't able to work well with them. So, after her Potions class today she would be meeting at the Library from one o'clock to three o'clock with Hannah Abbott and after her Arithmancy class, she would be in her room from five o'clock to seven o'clock with Lisa Turpin.

With a sigh, she lay across her bed. It was about ten o'clock and she didn't have Potions until twelve. Watching Snuffles jump off of her pillow and settle in his basket, which she also had to take from Draco's room, she lay her head where the kitten had been.

Well, Snuffles was hardly a kitten. The black and white animal had grown about as tall as a bench and was sleek and pretty. She looked up to distract herself, but caught sight of the lavender scented Kleenex on her shelf. She lay facedown in her pillow, unable to find anything that wouldn't remind her of Draco or Blaise or Pansy, but soon after thinking it, she fell asleep, and her head lolled to the side.

--

Distractedly, Draco made his way slowly back to his Common Room, stopping at the new portrait of a girl with two curly, brown pigtails and bright grey eyes.

"Hello, Draco! My name is Olivia! The password is bubblegum, by the way!" She exclaimed brightly, swinging the portrait open.

The boy walked back into his Common Room and up the stairs towards his room, until he stopped midway and walked towards Hermione's room. Opening the door slowly, he could see the girl splayed out on her own bed. Oh how he missed her, if only he could get her to understand.

Sighing, he shut her door and walked over to his own room. Decidedly, he sat out on the couch in front of Hermione's room, waiting for her to wake up. When he realized there was only twenty minutes before their Potions class and she hadn't waken up yet, he stood and walked over to her room, pushing it open.

Almost adoringly, he reached over and brushed a curl from her face, before shaking her slightly. She groaned and turned sleepily onto her side, covering her face with a pillow. He pulled the pillow away with a lot of effort and shook her again. Blinking sleepily, her round brown eyes met his cool grey onesand she glared immediately.

"What are you doing in my room, Malfoy?" It stung. It hurt horribly. Draco could feel his insides ripping from the heart and outwards as she called him vehemently by his last name. Before this, she would have never uttered the word Malfoy in his presence.

"You'll be late to Potions if you don't hurry." He stated blatantly. The girl ignored him as she piled her books up, but Draco grabbed her wrist from behind. She turned to him with a wicked glare.

"What are you doing?" She asked, as the same time he said, "I want to talk to you." With a sigh, he braced her shoulders.

"Listen to me." Her head was bowed down, ignoring him, but he spoke. "You can't just forget all of that. It's not going to go away or disappear. You're going to have to let us in, Hermione. I care about you a lot--too much to lose you after the Dolattivone Potion. Blaise and Pansy--you can't shut them out! Especially because Ron is dead!"

Her head shot up to meet his eyes and saw that he wasn't joking. "Hermione, we need you." Wordlessly, she pulled her arms away from him, quickly grabbed her Potions equipment and ran out of her room, leaving Draco standing in the middle of it, sad and concerned. With a resigned look, Draco filed out of her room and gathered his books for class.

--

Potions was always dull, since Snape deemed their class unable to work together on potions and forced them to do individual work. Surprisingly, Neville's potions had gotten a tad better, often being an off shade from the original rather than being a corresponding color. Hermione stirring her potion counterclockwise and stopped, putting the contents in a flask and handed it to Snape, who glared darkly at her as she replaced herself in her chair.

Draco concentrated on his potion with Blaise beside him, who was already completed and watching Draco work, occasionally muttering helpful hints such as, "Clockwise once, not twice," or, "One tablespoon, not teaspoon, Draco." The blonde would continue to work on his potion, until he finished it and placed it upon the desk. Sitting back down, he could see Pansy watching the empty chair next to Hermione sullenly.

After Snape dismissed the class, Hermione pushed right past the group, but Pansy wasn't having it. Grabbing Hermione's hand, she whirled the brunette around, causing Harry to stop.

"Listen. I know it's difficult, but Ron is dead! I suppose that you staying away from us is more important than helping us get over his death? Do you know how incredibly selfish that is? You of all people should know about this--you should know that death isn't a time for selfishness, but I see that's another thing you didn't learn when you were five." The girl told Hermione, finally letting go of her hand and walking away, leaving Hermione shocked.

--

The girl had gone off to get ready for her tutoring session, but remembered Blaise's exact words when he sat next to the currently deceased Ravenclaw. She had asked him out of innocence and pure unadulterated wonder, but now she thought that the question had been quite invading, although he provided her an answer.

**'I don't know. I can't describe it, and I can't tell you when or whom you'll get it for, but you'll know what it is when you take the time to notice that it's there. It was more like a wall. It built up and up and up until I knew that nothing could get past it but her.'** Was that how she felt? Did Draco make her feel any different than Harry? Was he able to get past the wall she had built? With a smile, Hermione greeted Hannah for her study session.

--

On the way back to his room, Draco stopped by the notice board and read the notice there from Dumbledore, before shaking his head and walking ahead. And his thoughts drifted to the announcement on the notice board. A formal event to take place on tomorrow to celebrate the 'Storming of Hogwarts' as everyone called it. He wasn't too keen on going, as Dumbledore required it to be a masquerade. He wasn't a fan of dancing too much at all.

Finally in his own room, Draco contemplated similar words. He had asked Ginny because he was Blaise's best friend. He wanted to know and was curious as to why her attention was mostly on Blaise. She spent plenty of time with him and he didn't want his friend getting hurt if Ginny wasn't serious about him. But she proved that wrong.

**'A lot more than I thought I could love someone, but I do. I get so involved and so caught up with him that I do. It's habitual. That's how I realized it.'** Draco sighed as he thought to himself. He couldn't possibly love Hermione, could he?

Chapter 20: Una Separazione Basso

**Quick Note: Points go to snapehermionelover! She found out that the Fidelius Charm is the friend hiding charm. Fidelius means "faithful friends" in Latin, meaning she could have only cast it if she really trusted Ron as a friend.**

**Also, points to anyone who can tell me what I meant with the third form of the Dolattivone Potion! Separazione means separation, the (one) of the Dolattivone Potion, and Basso/Una means short/a in Italian as well. Adjectives come before nouns or verbs, so it would be A Short Separation.**


	21. Close Encounters and Masqueraded Love

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Harry Potter

Summary: Draco Malfoy is always the center of attention, not the attention giver. When he and Ron Weasley accidentally turn Hermione into a five-year-old, Draco will have to give all the attention he has to the small girl.

**Crys: Don't get too excited now...haha. Psh, really, though. And all of you Ron lovers out there trust me. I thought I told my readers to trust me! **

**Review Thanks: (17th) Sunflower 18, LBuccalo, blkmagicklily, WannaBArtist, Losing Track, HelloLonely, Michelle Felton, iheartbadboysa.k.a.draco, silkyblackboxers, Dom-Basher CHAMPION. (18th) Dom-Basher CHAMPION, WannaBArtist, HelloLonely, PoE-dA-hOe, LBuccalo, Nuria VanWelick, Aria DeLoncray, KiKi, Sam's Firefly, mesaqt, Sesshie 101, Michelle Felton, lostone22, sisterclara, Angelo Del Ghiaccio, shewhodanceswithdragons. (19th) snapehermionelover, Nuria VanWelick, LBuccalo, Sam's Firefly, WannaBArtist, Pprincess17, Aria DeLoncray, HelloLonely, Michelle Felton. (20th) shewhodanceswithphoenixes, Michelle Felton, Aria DeLoncray, LBuccalo, Kandygurl4, WannaBArtist, Pprincess17, Nuria VanWelick, Inspyred, Star Arrow, Dom-Basher CHAMPION, Obnoxiously Peachy Twit, DaveysMommy, Draco's-numbah-1-fan, Thuyen, DaOnleeSam, Angeleyes15, mesaqt. ginnyfan88.**

**Thank you especially, for your kind reviews: LBuccalo, Inspyred, Star Arrow, Dom-Basher CHAMPION, Daveys Mommy.**

**_If This Isn't Good:_ If I can't read the 7th book yet...this is what I want to read! I have nothing bad to say about any of the chapters. This is by far one of the best fanfics I've ever read. Can't wait for the next update!(DaveysMommy for Chapter 20)**

**Make sure you head to my forum and answer my question about my sequel! If I don't get answers, there, I won't take them through review!**

Chapter 21: Close Encounters and Masqueraded Love

Draco and Hermione sat boredly through the Prefects meeting which was scheduled for after dinner. Hermione had been regulating it while Draco dozed off quietly. He didn't really care about the Masquerade Ball and didn't plan on going. The Prefects were mapping out every detail of the ball with Hermione and he had nothing to contribute.

Well, he had said, "I don't like the bloody ball, it's a waste of my life," and fell asleep. No one was really paying attention to whether he was awake or not, seeing as he had nothing to add on the subject of the ball that would positively help the Prefects.

Hermione was annoyed at her co-Head's behavior. Sleeping during an important meeting was treachery in Hermione's eyes, and the comment he made before showed where he'd be the next night. In his room sleeping. Hermione snorted and continued her thoughts on the theme and attire. With a sigh, she recalled her tutoring session for Arithmancy with Lisa. She had brought up the subject of Draco, luckily, at the end, so Hermione could walk away.

After the meeting was concluded, Draco woke himself up and started off towards his room, before he heard a voice ask, "What the hell was that for?" Turning around, he came face to face with an angry Hermione. Her arms were folded across her chest and her cheeks were flushed pink.

"What was **what** for?" He asked innocently. She glared.

"Don't act like you didn't do anything, Malfoy. The whole, **'I'm not going to pay attention during a Prefects' meeting'** thing. Malfoy, you're supposed to be setting an example." Draco laughed loudly at her, before facing her.

"How much of an example are you putting on? You turn back to normal and hate me again, shows how loyal you are to Inter House Unity." Draco walked away, towards his room door.

"Wait a minute, Malfoy, I'm not done talking to you." Hermione insisted angrily, following him to his room door. He stopped and turned around.

"Oh? You aren't done? You still have **more** back lashing of my name, my friends, and my house?" Draco asked, making Hermione hang her head in disappointment.

"I-- er, bugger it. I'm sorry." She said. Draco couldn't help it. He cupped her chin softly and tilted her head up. Her eyes were teary and sorrowful.

"Don't be." There was silence afterwards. Draco looked at her surprised that she had actually acknowledged that she was wrong, and Hermione watched him back, afraid of what was happening. Just when Draco went in for the kiss, she backed away.

"I--I can't." She said softly, before turning and fleeing towards her room. Draco sighed and ran a shaking hand through his hair.

He walked into his room and lay himself across his bed, staring at the ceiling as the previous scene replayed, still fresh in his memory. The blonde sighed and rolled over onto his stomach, burying his face into his pillow. She had finally opened up to him, as it was small, though. It was something. Draco decided that he was going to the Masquerade Ball to capture Hermione once and for all. He would just have to alter a few items to fit, but it seemed like a perfect plan.

--

Hermione leaned against the back of her door, breathing deeply. What had just happened? One minute they were arguing about the Prefect's meeting and the next, she was a couple of millimeters from kissing the Head Boy. She groaned, smacking a palm to her head.

She hated him--of course she did! But she was convincing herself that. She had to hate him, he was Malfoy! A voice inside of her spoke. **'Don't call him Malfoy!' **Hermione wanted to rip the inner child out of herself for that, but she couldn't help but think that she shouldn't have called him Malfoy.

Getting dressed for bed, Hermione wondered whether Dra--Malfoy was going to actually stay in for the Masquerade. Somewhere deep inside of her, probably hiding next to the voice of her inner child, was the hope that Draco Malfoy would attend the Masquerade Ball.

--

The next morning, Draco rolled off of his bed and fell sleepily to the floor, not wanting to wake up. Finally deciding that he had to, he picked himself up off of the floor to realize he was in his robes from yesterday. Walking out of his room, he walked into the bathroom to shower for breakfast, when it hit him exactly what had happened yesterday.

"It's definitely going to be **more** awkward between us, now." he said to himself dryly, before stepping into the shower.

--

Once finished, Draco tied a towel around his waist and walked back into his room to get dressed. Getting on the essential garments, Draco pulled out his grey jumper and black school pants, making sure that his Slytherin emblem was on the jumper first, before pulling it on. Facing himself in the mirror, he fingered his damp hair. He brushed it down and left it that way, not really caring that it looked two shades darker than his original blonde. He picked up his schoolbag, stuffed his textbooks for class inside, and headed off towards breakfast.

He saw no trace of her in the Common Room or in the hallways on his way to breakfast, but she was already seated in the Great Hall, chatting animatedly with Harry and Ron, most likely about the Masquerade Ball. He figured that she had left the Common Room early again, but didn't let it bother him as he took his usual seat at the Slytherin table. Blaise looked content and sat quietly, drinking from a goblet of pumpkin juice.

"Hello, mate." Blaise said, as Draco started sitting down and helping himself to some breakfast, which consisted of waffles with blueberries, whipped cream, and syrup. Draco smiled.

"Hey. What's up with you? You looked like you've had a decent snog with Ginny..." Blaise grinned.

"No, the Masquerade rules have been changed. We used to need a partner, but now you go around without one and find one at the ball, not knowing whom it is." He answered a grin on his face.

"Well wouldn't that mean that your girlfriend would be flirting with other people?" Blaise shook his head.

"There's no **way** we'd end up spending the night with each other and not knowing." Draco laughed, before eating another piece of his waffle. Today is going to be interesting.

--

The school was in a flurry. Dumbledore had cancelled all classes for that day, seeing as none of the teachers were up to teaching. Everyone was getting ready for the masquerade and having fun while at it. Sadly, they couldn't clam together and do it, so many girls and boys alike dispersed themselves all over the castle.

Hermione was equally excited. Showering again, she scrubbed her face to clean it and applied the makeup that went along with her masquerade costume. Finishing it up, she pulled on the dress and the shoes alike, making sure that it was all even toned, then fixing her hair and tying her mask on. Hermione Granger was ready for the Masquerade ball.

--

Meanwhile, in his room, Draco looked at himself in the costume. He wore a black cashmere jumper with black casual slacks, with silver over robe. He had decided on not changing his eye color, but changing his hair black. Seeing as he washed it again, it curled up from the dye and Draco couldn't get it to do anything other than that.

Tying his own mask on, he looked at himself. The mask was silver and broad enough to mask his eyes and nose, but not to take away from the intensity of his eye color. It was round and metallic, as plain as could be, but tied to the back of his head with a silver ribbon that stood out from his newly blackened locks. He had charmed the mask upon removal, to turn all of his changed features back to normal.

Peeking out into the Common Room, Draco saw no trace of Hermione, save her room door being open. She didn't look to be inside, so Draco headed off to the Masquerade Ball.

--

The Great Hall was slightly darkened, aside from hanging lights, which shone in every direction. The music was playing loudly and people were already in the middle of the floor dancing. There were a few tables and chairs set out and couples of people were there. Cool November air filtered in through the open

Draco looked around. Could he really find Hermione? Oh...that had to be her.

He tapped the girl's shoulder and she turned around, looking at him questioningly.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked her. She smiled and nodded as he led her to the dance floor. It was definitely Hermione. Bright brown eyes shielded with a blood red velvet mask and her dark curls were held up with a dark red clip. She wore a strapless, clingy black dress with a solid red, lacy corset. Her face was pale, probably from applying make up.

He smiled and twirled her. "You look beautiful." He told her. She smiled back up at him.

"Thank you. You look quite dashing yourself." She answered him, as the song ended. He extended his arm kindly to her.

"Would you like to join me for a drink?" He asked suavely. She took his arm with a smile.

She looked at him. "Where's the harm?" Walking over to the refreshment table, they each got themselves a drink and sat down at an empty table.

"So, are you having a good time?" He asked politely. Might as well get on her good side while he could, he thought. She smiled thoughtfully.

"Yeah. Your mask--" She said softly, reaching over to touch it, the tips of her fingers brushing the sides of his faces nimbly. "--it's so beautiful and it matches your eyes." She smiled and sat back down.

"Thank you. I really liked it--took **forever** to find it, though." In reality, Draco bought it with his robes, so he didn't have to find it at all. She leaned her chin on her hand.

"Well, my friend insisted red was a good color on me, but I liked the black. So, I just wore a red corset with it...and my mask looked better red than black." She did look better in red, though. Being a Gryffindor suited her. Draco sighed.

"Care for another dance?" She smiled and followed him to the dance floor.

-- 

They had danced and had fun together the whole night, neither of them wanting to dance with anyone else. She looked up at him with a smile.

"It'd be much better if we knew each other." Draco immediately shook his head.

"Oh, I already know who you are. You don't need to know me yet; it would ruin everything... Hermione." She looked at him and pouted, crossing her arms.

"No fair, you already know who I am! How come I can't find out who you are?" She said, but couldn't help smiling. He took her hand as the song speeded up and twirling her so she wasn't facing him.

"But dear, that makes it more **fun**." He said in her ear, dancing to the pulsing beat of the music. She relaxed against him, letting the back of her head rest against his shoulder. His arms were around her waist and her hands dangled limply.

"How did you know it was me anyway?" She asked curiously, changing her position so that she was facing him. He smiled knowingly.

"Your etiquette. The way you hold yourself, the way you walk, the way you look, is it." He told her. She grinned.

"How would you know all of those things about me?" She asked quietly.

"I fancy you, of course. Why else would I pay attention to you? You're beautiful." Hermione had to blush at the statement. "And you look adorable when you blush." He pinched her cheeks cutely, making her slap his hand away.

"It's fifteen to midnight, you know. Professor Dumbledore says masks **off** at midnight." Hermione told him. He nodded.

"I know." He said softly. "I just want to dance until them." The pair danced together in silence, neither of them daring to speak. They didn't want to ruin the moment. It seemed as if time went slowly for Draco, and he'd rather it stay that way. He'd never want Hermione to find out who he was. Curse him for putting that charm on his mask. As soon as it came off, his features would return to normal.

A loud bell sounded and everyone looked to the front of the Hall. "Well, students, it is midnight. As you are aware, this is the time to remove your masks from your current partner. I'd like to thank you all for being a part of this." Students around the Hall were beginning to remove masks and gasps of "Oh my" and "I can't believe it was you all this time!" reverberated through Draco's ears.

He looked around and spotted that Blaise had in fact been right. He was standing with Ginny's mask in his hands and she held his, smiling and hugging. Hermione looked up at him and he smiled.

"Well, it's time." Just as she was about to remove his mask, her hands halfway to his face, he caught them. She looked at him curiously.

"Not yet. I want you to take yours off first." Hermione gave him an incredulous look.

"Why? You already know who I am." She said.

"I want to see your face before the night is over." Confused, but compliant, Hermione let him remove her mask slowly. His hands held her blood red velvet mask. He handed it to her and looked at her, before leaning down and kissing her. Without a sound, Draco bowed his head and allowed her to take his mask off as well.

Hermione was nervous. Here she had been, dancing with this wonderful gentleman all night, and now it was time to find out who he was. Did she want to know? From the way he talked, somehow, he thought Hermione wouldn't want to know. Although, on the other hand, they had spent most of the night talking about herself. She could never find anyone who was that interested in her. Slowly, she pulled the silver ribbon and handed him his mask, watching carefully.

The dark curls fell away to straight blond locks and he looked up, his eyes remaining silver. Hermione's mind only produced one name. **Draco Malfoy**. She was deathly sure it wasn't working. It couldn't have been him--he had been nothing but kind to her--and she had been completely rude to him. With tears in her eyes, Hermione exited the Great Hall.

Chapter 21: Close Encounters and Masqueraded Love

**Quick Note: I know, I know. You're all going to skewer me for this chapter, but it's a DHr story, now isn't it? So, no need to worry! And you Ron lovers, since we all know what the Fidelis Charm did, you would know what happens next chapter.**

**And Michelle Felton figured out what the separation was! It was Hermione becoming a teenager again! Good job Michelle! **


	22. Deja Vu or What!

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Harry Potter

Summary: Draco Malfoy is always the center of attention, not the attention giver. When he and Ron Weasley accidentally turn Hermione into a five-year-old, Draco will have to give all the attention he has to the small girl.

Crys: So, yeah. This story in general is going to be twenty-five chapters, meaning that you only have three left. Isn't that sad? Well, thank you all for the reviews! I appreciated it!

**If This Isn't Good: **Okay, I just finished reading the rest of the fic and I was stunned at how good this is. You have NO idea how the twist and turn of moods just kept from laughing at on minute then on the brink of tears the next. If you write another fanfic, please email me so I know what it is. **(Undiscovered Author for Chapter 21)**

Chapter 22: Deja Vu or What?

Outside of the Great Hall, Hermione collapsed to her knees, not caring about soiling the fabric of her gown. She had been spending one of the best nights of her life with Draco Malfoy! No doubt she remembered what he said. **'I fancy you, of course.'** He knew who she was and he fancied her? How could he? She had known him while she was five, not while she was seventeen! Why would he fancy her anyway?

"Hermione..." A soft voice said. Her head shot around to a tapestry, where someone was beating on it. Slowly, Hermione approached it.

"Step back..." She said. "Diffindo!" The tapestry fell down and there was no one there. But strangely enough, Hermione felt someone hugging her.

"Oh Hermione..." The voice said. "How are you? Don't you look wonderful." Hermione was awfully confused at the moment.

"Finite Incantem!" She said, pointing in the general direction of the object.

"What are you doing?" Slowly, Hermione's eyes were met with Ronald Weasley's electric blue ones.

"Ron!" She exclaimed loudly, running over and hugging him tightly. He let out a painful moan.

She stepped away. "I just feel a bit...sore." Hermione was ecstatic.

"Where were you? Everyone thought you were dead! Even Dumbledore announced you dead to the entire school!" Ron shook his head.

"I was stuck behind this tapestry, all of a sudden, felt like someone has been jumping up and down on my stomach." He smiled.

"How is everyone? I'm glad you're back to normal, Hermione." He told her, an arm around her shoulders.

"Well, I guess everyone is fine...we're still a little sore with Harry over the potion. And we've got to find Pansy; she'd fall out if she knew you were here." Almost running, Hermione and Ron found their way to the Slytherin Dungeons.

"Dungbeetle." She said, before the doors opened. The Common Room was near empty. A few first years scowled at the interruption, but Hermione told Ron to stay there as she walked up the steps of the Girls' Dormitories.

"Pansy?" She called out. A head shot up and looked around, before noting Hermione and the rest of the body uncovered from the silky green sheets.

"What are you doing here, Hermione? Wasn't the masquerade tonight? And it's twelve in the morning!" Pansy said, pulling a robe over her pajamas. Hermione crossed her arms in a strict manner and Pansy snorted rudely.

"Yeah, precisely why you aren't sleeping either, Pansy." The girl scowled. "Come down to the Common Room with me." Pansy shot the brunette a weird look.

"Why?"

"Just come on. You'll thank me later." With a yawn and sigh, Pansy followed Hermione down the stairs. The brunette was careful not to trip, as she was still wearing her black high heels from the Masquerade. She didn't want to think about the Masquerade, though. She let Pansy make her way down the rest of the steps and sat at the top.

Pansy stood in shock at the sight before her. Ron Weasley had his hands jammed in his pockets, watching her carefully, for any sign of movement. Excitedly, she ran over to him and hugged him tightly around the neck.

"Ron!" She exclaimed loudly. Even after Ron had let her go, her arms were around his neck, her head dropped onto his shoulder, and she could feel tears fall from her eyes. Ron rubbed her back soothingly. She had been afraid of his death; she had just fallen in love for him to die. But he was standing in front of her, embracing her.

"It's all right, Pansy. I'm right here; I'm not going anywhere." He said to her softly. He was equally as happy to see her, but he wouldn't be bursting into tears and sobbing in pajamas just yet. Well, he didn't think he would be. Finally, she let him go.

"Ron; I was so scared I lost you..." She said softly. He slung an arm comfortably around her shoulder and pulled her close to him.

"You're never going to lose me, Pansy. I'll always be here with you. Look, I better be leaving. I still need to find Ginny." He hesitated, before kissing her. "I love you."

The Common Room portrait opened to admit a sullen Draco Malfoy. He raised an eyebrow at Ron, his mask in his hand.

"Oh Draco..." Pansy said softly. "Why are you here?"

"The Masquerade was a disaster. I'm telling you, Pansy, she can't stand me!" The blonde Slytherin sat down on one of the couches kicked his feet up on a table, and tossed his silver Masquerade mask onto the flight of stairs the girl had just come down.

"I have to leave. Talk to you later. The both of you." Ron said, before exiting the Common Room.

"Draco, calm down. Oh, before I forget..." She ran over to the table and grabbed a roll of parchment. "This came for you." Draco gave Pansy a questioning glance, before looking down at the letter.

_**Draco,**_

_**How are you darling? I've gotten quite a few letters from the Ministry. I'm afraid to tell you dear, but the newspapers have been all over your father's death and some muggle. I haven't been able to owl you for having to see the Ministry about forensical things, but yes, Draco, he is dead. He was found in the Department of Mysteries, of all places. I sent the Daily Prophet for you; you can read up on the story. I hope you're doing all right. Owl me if you need anything. I'd really love to hear from you, though.**_

_**Love,**_

_**Mother.**_

Draco's hands were shaking throughout reading the letter. Pansy put a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Draco, I'm so sorry..." She said softly. The blonde looked up and met her eyes.

"Pansy, where is the newspaper article?" She reached over to where she had set the letter and grabbed the folded up newspaper. She handed it to Draco wordlessly and watched him, as he read it to himself.

_**Two Bodies Found in Department of Mysteries**_

_**Earlier on today, reporters were told, one Unspeakable traveling through the Department of Mysteries on patrol duty discovered two bodies laying side by side in the meeting room, dead. Later on, they were identified as a wizard by the name of Lucius Malfoy and a muggle by the name of Justin Granger. There are many weird connections that have been made by the Department of Mysteries workers.**_

**_  
"The current Head Boy and Girl at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, they are safe, yet both their fathers lay dead." said Jenna Maola, worker. "The strangest part of that equation is, Justin Granger is a muggle."_**

Many were worried about the discovery of our world. How would a muggle get into the Ministry? And to the highest floor and the most secured level? Odd enough, Lucius Malfoy retained burn marks and Justin Granger was hit with the Killing Curse. They were both killed with two distinct methods, Malfoy hurt in muggle procedures and Granger hit with a wizarding Unforgivable. 

_**More on this story to page 37...**_

Draco folded up the newspaper and handed it to Pansy. "I've got to tell Hermione this, no matter how angry she is..." Pansy looked at him.

"I think she's here..."

"What!" Draco yelped, facing the girl. She looked at him.

"She brought Ron here to come and get me and I think..." Pansy retreated to the stairs. Draco tapped his foot patiently and waited for Pansy to return. When she did, she had Hermione by the wrist. Draco was too shocked to speak. So she had heard every word he had said. Ignoring that, he grabbed her wrist.

"I really don't care if you're angry at me for what I did, but listen--"

She tugged at her hand, but Draco wasn't letting her go, not yet. "Angry? That doesn't even begin to describe it. Why couldn't you just have--"

"Went to the Masquerade as myself? You wouldn't give me the time of day when I wasn't in Masquerading clothing, Hermione!" Draco answered furiously. Then, he calmed down. "Look, we have to argue about this later."

"I don't think there'll be a later." She said softly.

"Listen to me, Hermione, your father is dead!" Her head snapped up to meet his gaze. She shook her head in disbelief, stepping away from him slowly, but not getting far as he had a grip on her wrist.

"You're lying..." She said softly and sorrowfully. Pansy handed her the newspaper that Draco had held just a minute ago. Her eyes scanned it and she fell to her knees, sobbing in her hands. Draco knelt down in front of her and pulled her into his arms.

"Hermione, you realize, don't you, that every thing you did in the Dolattivone Potion world is coming true..." She continued to sob, shockingly wrapping her tear dampened hands around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder. Draco patted her back, just living in the moment. Despite it being one of sadness, Hermione stayed to receive comfort from him.

Sniffling, she pulled away from Draco. "He can't be dead--not because of that potion. It's another world! It shouldn't have killed anyone!"

"To think Potter gave it to you..." Draco said to himself. "Think about it. Ron, you put him under a Fidelius Charm, I saw you, and hurt him a bit, and he turns up half-hurt but safe. You killed your father and he turned up dead, and you burn my father and he turns up burned! There's no other logical explanation! And the fact that after the first form, you came back sustaining injuries..."

Hermione stood and wiped her eyes. "I should really get back to the Common Room..." She muttered. Draco took her hand.

"We're in the same Common Room; I'll go along. See you later Pansy." The girl retreated to her dormitory and Draco and Hermione left. Pansy sighed, halfway up the stairs. She seriously hoped Draco could get her to realize he wasn't joking. Leave it to her to think she's completely unlikeable. Pansy noted that Draco's silver mask wasn't on the stairs where he had thrown it.

--

In the Heads Common Room, Hermione stood in front of Draco.

"Do you want to talk about it now?" She asked softly. She loosened her corset and pulled it off, laying it on the couch. Draco sighed.

"I don't know, do you?" He asked. His eyes were nervously avoiding hers.

She softened. "I'm sorry about your father."

Draco laughed. "Well, I'm not." Hermione looked at him.

"Whether he was cruel to you or not, he's still your father."

"You wouldn't know, Hermione." He laughed callously. "He didn't deserve life."

"Don't say that!" She said angrily, stepping closer to him. "Everyone deserves life. Even Lucius Malfoy."

Draco stepped toe to toe with her, his lips only a hair away from hers. "Even me?" He breathed softly. She closed her eyes and nodded. As soon as she stopped nodding, she opened her eyes.

"I didn't hear you say it." Draco pressed. She glared at him.

"Even you. But you don't deserve love." She turned away and walked towards the stairs.

Draco scowled. "If all love is like what you just showed me, I don't think I'd want it." Hermione stood shocked, before turning around and walking back over.

"What now, Hermione? Are you going to tell me I'm wrong? I'm always wrong, right? Draco Malfoy never does anything right...I can't even get you to **love me** right." The blonde boy turned without another word and walked into his dormitory.

Hermione sat down on the couch and reached back over for her corset, pulling out the silver mask Draco had thrown onto the stairs in the Slytherin Common Room. What exactly was the boy playing at? **'I can't even get you to love me right.'** Did he really mean that? With a sigh, Hermione walked up to her bedroom, her mask in her hand and her heart in her throat.

--

In the Gryffindor Common Room, Ginny sat, smiling. She had spent most of her time with Blaise that night, as she thought she would. He had told her that he believed they would spend their night together, because they were made for each other. She looked up at the entrance and saw someone come in. It was unmistakably her brother Ron.

Jumping up, Ginny screamed, "Ron!" and ran all the way over to him, hugging him so hard that he toppled back against the portrait with a, "Whoa, Ginny!"

"Ron...I thought--everyone thought--Pansy..." Ginny was unable to form logical sentences.

Her brother laughed. "Everyone thought I was dead, Ginny, I know. I already saw Pansy and Hermione. Don't worry." His little sister buried her head back into his chest, happy that her brother was in fact not dead.

Many of the Gryffindors that had gone off to bed came back down to see Ron. The room was in joyous spirits, and soon enough, everyone was running off to snatch things from the kitchens happily. Harry walked down the stairs.

"Ron!" He exclaimed, running over. "Ron, are you all right?"

"Better now, Harry. Everyone's throwing a party for me, stick around, won't you?" The redhead told his friend, an impish grin on his face. Harry smiled back and clapped Ron on the shoulder.

"Will do, mate. Will do." Harry answered, flopping down on the couch. Ginny sat down beside him and Ron sat in the chair in front of them, smiling happily. It was a happy night for the Gryffindors. A happy night indeed.

Chapter 22: Deja Vu or What?

**Quick Note: If you don't get the chapter title, it means that the things that happened in the Dolattivone Potion world are happening in the real one! Review! Sadly, you have three more chapters left... Try not to cry.**


	23. Love is Hard, But Never Jump

Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Harry Potter

Summary: Draco Malfoy is always the center of attention, not the attention giver. When he and Ron Weasley accidentally turn Hermione into a five-year-old, Draco will have to give all the attention he has to the small girl.

**Crys: Did I mention I love my reviewers? And my beta, Dani, is total love? TWO MORE CHAPTERS! Can you believe it? Sorry if this is late for you all.**

**_If This Isn't Good:_ This is a really different storyline. I haven't seen anything like it. There's few stories that are real long that I'll take the time to read, but I'm glad this was one of them. Does the story end here? You know, when Ron stepped out I thought he was a Death Eater posing as Ron. The Death Eater could've said that he was just stuck somewhere. This is a great story, a unique one at that.** **(Wolfie Moon for Chapter 22)**

Chapter 23: Love is Hard, But Never Jump

Ginny smiled and clasped Blaise's hand in the hallway towards breakfast.

"Don't be such a downer, Blaise." Ginny teased, before laughing. Pansy and Ron were on Blaise's left and Harry stood on Blaise's right.

"You Gryffindors. You may be stupidly brave, weird, and annoying, but you get to throw parties for no reason and not get in trouble." He grumbled.

"I agree." Pansy said, leaning her head on Ron's shoulder. "Although you're quite companionable." Laughter followed the statement. The group stopped at the Great Hall, Harry walking inside as Ginny and Blaise and Ron and Pansy said their goodbyes. It sucked being a fifth wheel. He wished Hermione was here.

--

Meanwhile, the Heads Common Room was habited by Draco, who was putting on his tie, for some odd reason, in the hallway. He was ready to go off to breakfast, his bookbag lying at his feet. When the door beside the mirror opened, Hermione stepped out. She turned him to face her and started knotting his tie for him. She was also ready to attend class. Finishing, she dropped her hands to her sides.

"I'm really sorry for what I said last night." Draco tilted his head to look at her.

"Okay." He answered. 

"Look, about what you said--" Draco shook his head at her.

"Forget it, Hermione." He reached past her to pick up his bag and pulled it over his shoulder.

She grabbed his wrist and he turned to look at her curiously. "I can't forget it, Malfoy! That's the problem! I've been trying to forget that. And I've tried all night, yet all I've been thinking about was the prospect of you loving me and--me loving you back."

"You could never love me, Hermione, not with how you act." He told her. "Let me get to breakfast...please." He added.

"No! I mean--I could, and um..." Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have something to say?" He asked her smoothly. She shook her head. Sighing, he turned to the door.

"Wait!" He turned again, before turning back around.

"I love you." She said quietly. Draco froze in his place and turned around. He watched her for a minute, before shaking his head.

"No, you don't." He told her defiantly.

"How would you know that?" She asked back, her eyes filled with anger.

Draco crossed his arms. "Because, I don't deserve love. Remember?"

"Go ahead and think that." She said, turning away from him.

"This just proves you don't! I know you don't, why lie about it?" She whirled around and glared at him. "Lying? How do you lie about loving someone, Hermione? I don't know..."

"The same way you lie about who you are." She said pointedly.

"But that was out of love, not because of it. Look, forget it. Forget I said anything, forget you said anything, forget this whole morning." He turned back to the door and left.

--

Hermione sat in the library, waiting for Lisa to show up. She was a little late, the time already being one fifteen. She had known the Ravenclaw to be puntcual, most of the time Lisa was there before Hermione, but not this time. She looked up to see Draco put his Ancient Rune textbooks down in front of her, before pulling out a chair and sitting down across her.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" She asked rudely. "My tutor will be along any time now."

"Oh, sorry about that. Tur--er, Dumbledore had to brief me exactly what to do. Oh, Turpin isn't your tutor anymore. I am." Draco could tell by the confused look on Hermione's face that she had no clue Draco was to be her tutor.

"Why would he do that? I--I can't stay here."

"You'll fail Ancient Runes, Hermione, sit down." She looked at him incredulously.

"So I'll fail if you don't tutor me?"

"Naturally." Hermione moaned and dropped her head into her hands.

"Look. It's going to be too awkward sitting here with you as my tutor--" She started.

"I tried to talk to you about everything, Hermione, but you didn't want to listen." Draco said, folding his arms.

She sighed. "It wasn't the time. So, what exactly are you playing at, Malfoy?"

"Me? I already told you what I was **'playing at'** so to speak. You don't need me to repeat myself." He watched her fidget uncomfortably.

"You can't be serious. You don't know me! You befriended me when I was five and now you're in love with me at seventeen?" She asked incredulously.

"If I didn't know you, how could I spot you at the Masquerade? All of those things I said that night; I thought they would be enough for you to realize that I wasn't joking. I befriended you when you were five, yes, but I found out more about you then than you realise." He told her. She looked at him with a questioning glance.

"You don't know me at all. You think you do, but you don't."

"Oh really?" He said, standing up and then kneeling in front of her. Calmly, he pushed two fingers against her neck. "I know this makes you feel nervous." She fidgeted, but nodded nonetheless. "You like to lie down with your friends when you're scared. You've done it to me a couple of times." She blushed.

"I was a child." She looked down to meet his eyes. "I acted like I would when I was five, Malfoy. And now I'm acting like a seventeen year old, and I know what I want. What I said the other day was a lie." Draco laughed.

"But I already knew that, Hermione. You don't like me, you never could. It's just me--I'm stuck loving you and you don't care at all. I know, it's okay, whatever other bullshit you want to tell me, but I know. It'll take a while, but then you'll know too."

Hermione glanced at him weirdly. "What the hell are you talking about?" The blonde smiled to himself, standing up and grabbing his things. 

"You know you love me, that's what. By the way, you can tutor yourself, Hermione." He headed towards the exit of the library, before Hermione called after him.

"You were assigned to tutor me, Malfoy! Get back here!"

"No." He responded, making Hermione furious. Running after him, she grabbed his wrist.

"Look, tutor me. I'll fail Ancient Runes, so just come on, already!" Draco shook his head.

"I want an apology." He said softly, stepping closer to her. She laced her fingers together and looked at him.

"What if I don't think I should apologize?"

"Then you'll fail Ancient Runes." He said flat out.

"I'm sorry." She said, and Draco actually believed she was sincere. Watching her for a moment more, he followed her to the table and begin reciting what he had taken notes on.

--

Lisa Turpin felt very guilty. She and Hermione were getting along great, but whenever she brought up the subject of Draco Malfoy, the brunette would freeze up and claim that their study session was over, when in fact sometimes, it was not. Sure, she only had Hermione's best wishes in mind, but it was the last thing the Ravenclaw had to do. She asked the bloody git himself if he would take over her study sessions.

She loved studying, she really did, but studying with an awkward silence and tension overhead because of a stupid comment was really getting unbelievable, and she needed a break. Sitting back on her bed, she hoped that Malfoy wouldn't mess his chance up. Inside of her, Lisa felt as if she had committed a treacherous crime.

But in his office, Professor Dumbledore awarded Ravenclaw twenty points.

--

After her study session with Draco, Hermione sat at the library table, utterly confused. Time for a self-evaluation, she thought. She thought back to the ball. Exactly then, what had she felt? What had filled her when unknowingly, Malfoy complimented her, danced with her, and kissed her? Had she been lying to herself this whole time? 

Distraughtly, she pulled out a quill and ink, along with some parchment. She needed some way to gather her thoughts.

--

Draco was lounged peacefully in the Slytherin Common Room, flanked by Pansy. Sure, the two weren't as close in the beginning of term, but things had changed and somehow, their friendship had.

"What exactly did you do?" She asked from her end of the couch. She was sitting, while Draco had his feet thrown up on a table.

"I didn't do a thing! I was sitting in the Heads Common Room when Turpin knocks on the door and tells me to tutor her. I couldn't say no, it was the perfect opportunity! And then she tells me that Hermione's been quite awkward with her since she had asked about me. So, she left and that was it!" Pansy sighed.

"Draco, I mean, what did you do at the tutoring session."

"She complained about me being her tutor, then proceeded to argue against the awkwardness of tutoring with me, then I made her apologize and we went over Chapter 18 of the texts, that's what we did." Pansy eyed him suspiciously.

"No moves?"

"As if she'd let me." Draco shifted his feet to hit the floor and turned to the brunette haired witch. "Honestly, Pansy. If you were her, what would you have done?"

Pansy looked considerate before answering. "Jump on you and shag you crazy. Come on, Draco! You practically spelled out **'I fancy you, Hermione,'** and she still doesn't believe you! Personally, I think she's insane or something." Draco couldn't help cracking a smile.

"Weasley would object, you know, calm down." She glared at him, but Draco knew it was only half-heartedly. "Insanity is the exact opposite of what I need to be mingling with right now."

"You've got that pinned." Pansy muttered, to which Draco sent her a dark look. "Oh calm down, Tristan." She joked.

"Oh haha, Miss Wit. But where is Isolde?" Pansy grinned at him.

"Sulking in the library where you left her." Draco smiled at her.

Interrupting the moment was an owl, the appearance matching with the school's set of owls. The owl perched at the end of the couch, staring at Draco and waiting for him to take the letter. When his hands stopped shaking at the question of ,**'who sent this?'** he clasped the owl's leg and untied the letter, watching it fly off.

**Malfoy,**

**When I was little, I heard a quote, _"I write because I am afraid to say things aloud."_ And right now, that is true. So read this knowing that this is what I could not say.**

**Honestly, the Masquerade was one of the best nights I have ever had, despite it being with you. I'm sorry for everything I've said to you during the time afterwards, because I know some of it was half-hearted. And honestly, again, I sat up all night thinking about what you had said about _'not being able to get me to love you right' _and I realised that the reason you couldn't do that is because you can't make someone fall in love with you if they already are.**

**And no, I'm not lying this time. It hasn't taken me 'til now to notice, because I always have been. I just couldn't find the right way to tell you without making it seem unbelievable. I've been talking to Pansy and Ron and Harry and Blaise and Ginny, but they've all told me the same thing, to learn it for myself, but I didn't. **

**You made me learn it.**

**I didn't know until you said what you said today. That I was really shielding myself from love and that you knew I loved you. Ha, that looks so official on parchment. I love you. Altogether, I'm sorry for everything and hope you can consider this an apology and a confession. And if you know me so well, you'll know where to find me right now. You shouldn't need a hint, but I'll give you this; I won't fall asleep when you come, I promise.**

**Sincerely,**

**Hermione**

Draco was truly stunned. He hadn't expected this, in fact, he expected the exact opposite when he saw the heading, **'Malfoy' **to the parchment. He noted various blots from tear staining and that was what confirmed her location. Standing up, he thrust the parchment into Pansy's hands.

"Read it, I'll be back. And don't wait up, Pansy."

--

Opening the door to the Astronomy Tower, Draco spotted Hermione leaned against the window, looking out. She turned around to face him, tears running down her face. She sniffled softly, but smiled.

"Do you remember when we had this class?" Draco nodded, walking towards her slowly. "I hated you so much that night. And I never knew that I'd turn five, though. And I didn't know you'd be watching me." She sighed and chuckled lightly.

"God, all of my trust went out of the window when I became five, but I guess that's because I'm a stupid mudblood, is that it? And proceeded to make an even larger fool of myself by getting my trust back and throwing it away by sending that letter. Go on, Malfoy. You can push me out of the Tower whenever you feel like it. I've been horrible, and that's all I deserve."

Saying that Draco was shocked was an understatement. He had no idea what she was thinking; it seemed she was just rambling on about her mistakes and such. Comfortingly, he pulled her into his arms.

"Don't say that about yourself. You aren't a stupid mudblood and you aren't a fool and I won't push you off of the Astronomy Tower, Hermione. What makes you think that?" The girl sniffled again, looking up at the blonde.

"Because I've been so stupid and ignorant. I'm supposed to be the sodding Head Girl and I'm almost as bias against Slytherin as Snape against Gryffindor! And I would jump--I would jump if I wasn't so damn intricate about everything." She spoke, her voice shaking and unstable. Draco slowly pressed his lips against hers, and simply said, "Never jump."

Chapter 23: Love is Hard, But Never Jump

**Quick Note: I adored this chapter. That's about all I have to say. And because I did this, my plans for ending this story with a simple kiss are blown out of the window. So, any suggestions reviewers? Again, I'm sorry, only two chapters after! **

**(Make sure you all visit my FORUM and tell me: Sequel or No Sequel?)**


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